September was marked by the release of dozens of political prisoners. Throughout the month, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office also continued its international work, including at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, cooperated with partners to support Belarusians and political prisoners, and worked on security, legal procedures for Belarusians in exile, and Belarusian culture.
Below are the key developments of the month.
- Release of political prisoners. On September 16, 25 political prisoners were released and transferred to Lithuania. On September 24, another 13 political prisoners were released, most of them women.
- UN General Assembly. During her visit to New York, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held several meetings with international partners. On September 21, the side event “Belarus: Accomplice in Russia’s War Against Ukraine and a Threat to International Security” was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Read a summary of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to New York.
- Visit to Brussels. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Brussels to speak at the Second EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum.
- Support for political prisoners and the repressed. Finland announced an additional €100,000 in aid for Belarusians affected by repression. Contributions from two more countries to the International Humanitarian Fund are also being finalized.
- Belarus–Ukraine relations. On September 18–19, the civic and political part of the 5th Ostrogski Forum took place in Kyiv. Its participants adopted a statement on the return of deported Ukrainian children and announced a working group on Belarus-related issues.
- Work in Lithuania. On September 9–10, the Director of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Vilnius, Dzianis Kuchynski, met with the Foreign Affairs Advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Donatas Augulis, and the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen.
- Work in Latvia. During his visit to Riga, Dzianis Kuchynski held a meeting with Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s Foreign Policy Advisor, Ivars Liepnieks.
- Cooperation with the European Union. On September 2, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing in Vilnius for ambassadors and diplomats from 17 European Union countries.
- Women’s political leadership. From September 13 to 18, the Third Women’s Political Leadership Academy took place in Prague.
