Sergei Tikhanovsky, the husband of Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, made a heartfelt appeal to former U.S. President Donald Trump to advocate for the release of political prisoners still held in Belarus. His request came as he unexpectedly reunited with his wife in Lithuania after being freed from prison where he spent five years in solitary confinement.
At a press conference, Tikhanovsky described his traumatic experiences, highlighting the plight of over 1,000 political prisoners remaining behind bars. He mentioned that he was arrested in 2020 while planning to run for president against the authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko and subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison on politically motivated charges.
During the press conference, Tikhanovsky emotionally recounted the harsh conditions he faced, sharing that he was subjected to a life devoid of communication with the outside world, enduring extreme isolation without any contact with family, friends, or legal counsel. "You ask about torture. Is that not torture?" he proclaimed, reflecting on how even murderers in prison had access to basic necessities that he lacked.
In his remarks, Tikhanovsky directly called on Trump to leverage his influence, saying, "Trump has such power and such possibilities, that with one word he could free all political prisoners. I ask him to say that word now." His wife, Tikhanovskaya, tearfully supported his plea, revealing the personal toll of their separation on their family, including their daughter, who struggled to recognize her father due to his drastic physical changes from prison life.
Yesterday’s release of Tikhanovsky and thirteen others came amidst the visit of U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg to Minsk, marking the first significant American diplomatic engagement with Lukashenko in years, a visit that some believe could be politically leveraged by the Belarusian regime. While Tikhanovsky acknowledged that the visit might have been seen as a breakthrough for Lukashenko, he emphasized that what the people of Belarus truly desire is the removal of the U.S. sanctions.
Despite his grim experiences, Tikhanovsky made no claims to lead the opposition, instead declaring his commitment to supporting his wife and urging all Belarusians to rally against Lukashenko's regime. He reaffirmed his stance by indicating that the struggle must continue and acknowledged that his newfound freedom had spared his life.
As the situation in Belarus remains dire, hundreds of thousands have fled the country following the crackdown on dissenting voices, with tens of thousands arrested on political grounds in recent years, as reported by human rights group Viasna.
