Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a briefing for journalists in Vilnius. The briefing focused on the topic of the incommunicado regime in Belarusian prisons:
“It’s been a year since I last heard from my husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Since then, there has only been silence. No letters, no phone calls, no meetings with lawyers.
I only received anonymous letters claiming that he had passed away. And a video that was published last year, where I can barely recognize my own husband.
It’s been a year since we heard the last reports about Viktar Babaryka, Maryia Kalesnikava, Mikalai Statkevich, Maksim Znak, Ihar Losik, and many others.
Being cut off from the outside world for so long is a form of torture. It is torture not only against political prisoners but also against their loved ones, who live in uncertainty and cannot help but fear that the worst may have happened.
The Lukashenka regime has already killed five Belarusian political prisoners – Ihar Lednik, Vadzim Khrasko, Vitold Ashurak, Ales Pushkin, Mikalai Klimovich – and continues to kill others. People are being slowly killed in prison. And dying in captivity is a horrible death.
The murder of Alexei Navalny in Russia should have rocked the international community to finally take action. But so far, we have only heard words of condemnation and concern.
We must take action to prevent further tragedies. The torture of people in prisons must stop.
I am calling on the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, to intervene. Demand an end to the brutal practice of “incommunicado” detention in Belarusian prisons. You have the power to save lives. And this is not a political issue. This is a humanitarian issue! Political prisoners must be granted access to adequate medical care and allowed communication with their lawyers and families.
I urge governments worldwide to make the issue of political prisoners a priority. Demand that the regime implements the UN Human Rights Committee’s request for urgent protection measures on Viktar Babaryka, Maksim Znak, and Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Draw an ultimatum to Lukashenka, demand to show those held incommunicado and release them.
I also appeal to members of parliaments all over the world to support political prisoners in Belarus. Become their voice and advocates internationally. I am thankful to the 400 politicians from Lithuania and other countries who have already shown their support, but there are thousands of political prisoners.
We must be determined and united. The regime of Lukashenka must know: We will not stop until everyone is free.”
