In a stunning turn of events, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released prominent opposition leader Sergei Tsikhanouski and more than a dozen political prisoners and journalists in a deal brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.
The unexpected release marks the most significant concession by the Belarusian government since the brutal 2020 crackdown on dissent, when Tsikhanouski and thousands of others were arrested following a contested presidential election.
Among the 14 prisoners freed on Saturday were five Belarusians, three Poles, two Latvians, and citizens from Japan, Sweden, and Estonia. The group was transported to neighbouring Lithuania, where emotional scenes unfolded as Tsikhanouski was reunited with his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a key figure in Belarus’s pro-democracy movement.
“It’s hard to describe the joy in my heart,” Tsikhanouskaya posted on X (formerly Twitter). “We’re not done. 1,150 political prisoners remain behind bars. All must be released.” She expressed gratitude to Trump and U.S. and European partners who supported the negotiations.
According to a spokesperson for the Lithuanian prime minister, the release followed a private meeting in Minsk between Lukashenko and Kellogg. The Financial Times reported that the discussion focused on political detente and the future of Belarus’s ties with the West, which have been strained since Lukashenko’s widely discredited 2020 election victory.
Tsikhanouski, a former blogger turned opposition leader, had been sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated. His imprisonment came after he declared his intention to run against Lukashenko — who has ruled Belarus since 1994 — prompting his wife Sviatlana to step in as a candidate. She later led mass protests against the regime alongside Veronika Tsepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova, both of whom also faced repression.
While Tsikhanouski is now free, many other prominent dissidents remain behind bars, including Kolesnikova, opposition figure Viktor Babariko, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.
Also among the released was Ihar Karnei, a former journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, detained in 2023. “We are deeply grateful to President Trump for securing the release of this brave journalist,” said the outlet’s CEO, Stephen Capus.
The Biden administration had previously imposed sanctions on Belarus over human rights abuses, but the Trump team — which returned to power in January — has pursued a parallel diplomatic track aimed at unlocking long-standing standoffs in Eastern Europe.
While Saturday’s release is seen as a breakthrough, human rights groups and opposition figures caution that it must be followed by broader reforms. “This is a step forward, but not a solution,” one Lithuanian official told The Financial Times. “The Belarusian regime remains fundamentally authoritarian.”
Still, for Tsikhanouskaya and her supporters, the reunion is a symbol of perseverance. “After years of darkness, today is a day of light,” she said.
