VISIT TO IRELAND
On October 27–28, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Dublin, where she met with Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Foreign Minister Helen McEntee, addressed MFA representatives from more than 20 European countries, and met with ambassadors and diplomats. Discussions focused on the release of political prisoners, support for Ukraine, legal status issues facing Belarusians, and international cooperation. With Irish counterparts, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed travel documents for children and released political prisoners. She handed over specific requests from Belarusians.
IRELAND–BELARUS CONFERENCE ON NATIONAL CULTURAL IDENTITIES
On October 27, the Ireland–Belarus Conference on National Cultural Identities took place in Dublin, bringing together around 200 participants. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered an address and, with Minister of State Thomas Byrne, discussed preserving language and culture. Participants shared experiences of preserving national identity and presented cultural initiatives. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya shared childhood memories from Ireland. Her Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka, summarized the conference.
VISIT TO ESTONIA
On October 29–30, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held meetings in Estonia with President Ülle Madise, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Marko Mihkelson, and Culture Minister Heidy Purga. They discussed political prisoners, regional security, and support for Belarusians, as well as support for Ukraine, engagement with Belarusian communities, translations of Belarusian literature, and cultural initiatives. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also met with the special envoys for Belarus and representatives of 17 countries, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission.
NIGHT OF THE EXECUTED POETS
On October 29, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined a commemorative event held by Belarusians in Estonia for the Night of the Executed Poets, which marks the anniversary of the mass execution of 132 Belarusian cultural figures and intellectuals by the Soviet regime in Minsk. She delivered a speech and read a poem by Mikhas Charot. She also addressed Belarusians, while her Advisor on Education and Science, Pavel Tereshkovich, spoke about the impact of Soviet-era repression on Belarusian history. Poetry readings, lectures, and memorial events took place around the world.
NORDIC COUNCIL SESSION IN HELSINKI
From October 26–29, a delegation of Belarus’s democratic forces took part in a session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki for the first time. It was led by the Deputy Executive Director of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, Stanislava Hlinnik. In her address, Ms. Hlinnik thanked the Council for its support for political prisoners and called for further cooperation with Belarus’s democratic forces. She proposed making the Belarusian delegation’s participation a regular occurrence and holding a Belarusian–Nordic roundtable in Stockholm.
BELARUSIANS’ LEGAL STATUS IN EUROPE
On October 27, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, Representative in Estonia, Vital Malchanau, and Director of the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic, Kryscina Šyjanok, spoke alongside European partners at the Minsk Forum in Brussels. They discussed issues with documents, the legal status of Belarusians, and the implementation of the Luxembourg Solutions and presented their proposals to European Commission experts.
SWISS COURT RULING IN THE CASE OF YURY HAROUSKI
On October 26, the Court of the Canton of St. Gallen found Yury Harouski guilty of the abduction of Anatol Krasouski and handed him a two-year suspended prison sentence. The acquittals concerning the cases of Yury Zakharanka and Viktar Hanchar remained unchanged. Leanid Marozau called the ruling an important step in the fight against impunity and called for holding to account those who organized the crimes.
APPEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS
On October 27, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya issued a video address in response to a letter from former political prisoners calling for the release of all political prisoners. She thanked the authors, expressed respect for differing positions, and stressed that every person’s life and freedom are a shared priority. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also called for continued negotiations and international efforts to secure their release.
SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICE FOR BELARUSIANS IN UKRAINE
The Mission of the Democratic Forces of Belarus in Ukraine launched a social support service for Belarusians in the country. The Head of the Mission, Volha Zazulinskaya, explained how the team assists Belarusians with documents, residency issues, children’s status, and social support for volunteers and their families, helping people navigate their individual circumstances and find the specialists they need.
DZIADY (FOREFATHERS’ EVE)
In early November, Belarusians observe Dziady, traditional days of remembrance for their ancestors. On November 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians and urged them to preserve family memories and pass traditions on to their children, stressing that loved ones can be honored even far from home by gathering together, lighting a candle, and remembering those who are no longer with us.
PERSECUTION OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN BELARUS
On October 30, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Inclusion and Equality, Julia Mickiewicz, commented on the joint statement by TG House and Prismatica documenting the persecution of LGBTQ+ people in Belarus. She highlighted the threats, blackmail, and pressure through family members, which are used to coerce people into cooperating with the authorities. Ms. Mickiewicz called for the rights of those affected to be protected.
MEDIA
The Irish Times (Ireland), ERR (Estonia), The Kyiv Independent (Ukraine), Radio Łódź (Poland), Polskie Radio 24 (Poland), Dziennik Łódzki (Poland), Twoje Miasto (Poland), PAP (Poland), TVN24 (Poland), Polskie Radio (Poland), RTÉ Morning Ireland (Ireland).
