Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior Vladislavas Kondratovičius
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held talks with the Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Vladislavas Kondratovičius. The conversation was conducted in Belarusian – a gesture that highlighted the Lithuanian politician’s goodwill toward the Belarusian people. The Director of the Migration Department, Evelina Gudzinskaitė, and the country’s Ambassador-at-Large for Belarus, Asta Andrijauskienė, also attended the meeting. Mr. Kondratovičius […]
July 09, 2025
“The regime understands that in the eyes of believers, God is always above power”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s reaction to the closure of religious organizations in Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya responds to the reports of religious organizations being shut down in Belarus: “Since the beginning of the year, the regime has required every religious organization in Belarus to undergo re-registration. Recently, I learned that it is now systematically denying recognition to non-Orthodox communities that spoke out against violence and lawlessness in 2020. This […]
July 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Presidents of Lithuania and Germany
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski attended an official reception marking Lithuania’s Statehood Day, meeting with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, and the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The parties discussed: Continued joint efforts to release political prisoners. Support for Belarusian civil society, activists, and independent media. Ongoing backing of Belarus’ democratic forces from Lithuania […]
July 07, 2025
“Repression is no longer confined to the territory of our country”. Key takeaways from the Belarus side event at the UN Human Rights Council
On July 2, a side event took place in Geneva, focused on the critical human rights situation in Belarus. The meeting, organized by Lithuania and Latvia, featured Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau. Participants emphasized the persecution of political prisoners, journalists, activists, and the increasing use of transnational repression. The following points were […]
July 07, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys. The meeting focused on further joint efforts, particularly in countering propaganda and regime-linked groups that continue operating outside Belarus. Mr. Budrys emphasized the importance of security for Belarus’ democratic forces and stressed that Lithuania will continue to offer protection […]
July 07, 2025
Meeting with Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, UN Human Rights Council side event. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: June 30 – July 6
MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF LITHUANIA Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys. The discussion focused on joint efforts against the regime’s groups and propaganda operating outside Belarus. Lithuania reaffirmed its support and protection for those fleeing persecution. The Tsikhanouskis thanked Lithuania for its principled […]
July 07, 2025
Parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus”: Stronger than ever – in the German Bundestag!
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, visited Berlin for talks in the Bundestag. One of the key outcomes of the visit was the revival of the parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus”. The group has been relaunched following the recent election, bringing together members of Germany’s three main political factions: […]
July 02, 2025
Monthly recap: June 2025. Key events, new research, and notable achievements of Belarusian activists and NGOs
The Belarusian Association of Journalists released its annual media monitoring report for 2024. The report is available in Belarusian. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office presented the Lustration Concept for Belarus. The document is available in Belarusian or in Russian. CSO Fusion and partners released the third Digest of Belarus Civil Society Research, covering the years 2021-2024. The […]
July 01, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the detention of musician Aleh Khamenka in Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I’ve just learned that security forces have detained Aleh Khamenka, the frontman of the band Palac. While I don’t know Aleh personally, many Belarusians do. His songs have become part of our memory. People kept coming back to them over the years and generations: in the 1990s, the 2010s, and even now. But […]
July 01, 2025
New Belarus Conference 2025 to take place in Vilnius on August 9–10
The New Belarus Conference 2025 will be a space for open and honest conversations – without censorship, fear, or excuses. The event will bring together politicians, activists, analysts, influencers, and members of the Belarusian community who have never left the democratic movement over the past five years. Participants will discuss future strategies and the direction […]
June 30, 2025
First meetings after Siarhei Tsikhanouski’s release, NATO Summit, Red Paper presentation, rallies in Warsaw and Vilnius. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: June 23–29
VISIT TO POLAND On June 26, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski made their first joint visit to Warsaw. They held meetings: with President Andrzej Duda, discussing further steps to support the Belarusian democratic movement and Belarusians who have found refuge in Poland; with Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who became Siarhei’s symbolic “godfather” during his imprisonment. […]
June 30, 2025
Franak Viacorka and Leanid Marozau attended the WUB-Hub 2025 Conference “Ukraine, Belarus, and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka, and Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, took part in the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Hub’s “Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe” Conference held in London at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). The event brought together leading experts in international law, European security, and democratic transformation. Among the […]
June 27, 2025
“Let’s stand together!” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski spoke at a solidarity rally in Warsaw
A rally in solidarity with political prisoners took place in Warsaw yesterday, with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski participating. This was Siarhei’s first public rally since his release from prison. During her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya: Shared personal emotions “I had dreamed of this moment for so long, ever since the day Siarhei was arrested. At […]
June 27, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski
During their visit to Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski. They discussed next steps in supporting democratic Belarus and Belarusians in exile, as well as coordination between Polish institutions and representatives of Belarus’ democratic forces. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya praised the launch of an inter-ministerial working group, which […]
June 27, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Polish President Andrzej Duda
During their visit to Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss further support for the Belarusian democratic movement and Belarusians who have sought refuge in Poland. The delegation also included the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka; Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski; and Ms. […]
June 27, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on three years of Belarusian volunteer fighters’ captivity
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Three years. For three endless years, Belarusians Yan Dziurbeyka and Siarhei Dziohtsieu have been held in Russian captivity after being ambushed near Lysychansk during combat. This is the kind of captivity from which people return in such horrific condition that just imagining how they are treated fills me with dread and unrelenting anger. […]
June 26, 2025
Don’t miss the livestream from Warsaw! Sviatlana and Siarhei Tsikhanouski at a solidarity rally for political prisoners
Join the online broadcast from the capital of Poland! The Belarusian leader will meet with Belarusians in the center of Warsaw. But this time, she won’t be alone — her husband will be with her! After five years in prison, political prisoner Siarhei is free again — and once more ready to fight to turn […]
June 26, 2025
Red Paper: What needs to be known about Belarus here and now
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented the Red Paper in The Hague today. The document contains crucial and up-to-date information on Belarus’ security – energy, information, economic, military, migration, and youth-related. Systematized by experts, this data helps identify the risks Belarus faces today and what they mean for the country’s future. Below are the key findings from the […]
June 26, 2025
“In the hands of the Belarusian people and democracy, Belarus can become a force for peace”
A panel discussion “Zapad 2025 and Beyond: Understanding the Eastern Threat and NATO’s Response” took place in The Hague today. It was organized by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Belarus and the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS). The conversation focused on key challenges to regional security: the militarization […]
June 24, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s meetings during the NATO Summit: NATO Secretary General, the Netherlands’ Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and US Senators
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived in the Netherlands on a working visit to take part in the NATO Summit. Ahead of her speech at the side event “Zapad 2025 and Beyond: Understanding the Eastern Threat and NATO’s Response,” which focused on security challenges linked to Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a series of high-level meetings. She met with […]
June 24, 2025
Security threats linked to Belarus: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to present the Red Paper at a NATO Summit side event
Today, during a side event of the NATO Summit in The Hague, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will present the Red Paper, an analytical document, to European policymakers. What is this document prepared by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, and why is it important? Here’s a straightforward explanation. It is called the Red Paper to underscore the urgency and seriousness […]
June 24, 2025
How did the world react to the release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski?
After five years behind bars, Siarhei is finally free. The news touched the hearts of lawmakers, presidents, and ministers — from Vilnius to Washington. Leading politicians around the world expressed solidarity and support for Sviatlana, Siarhei, and all Belarusians who continue the struggle. Friedrich Merz (Chancellor, Germany) “The release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 other […]
June 23, 2025
Siarhei Tsikhanouski is free! Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: June 16–22
RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS On June 21, Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 other prisoners were released in Belarus. Among them were 5 Belarusians and citizens of Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Japan, and Sweden. All were evacuated to Lithuania, where Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and ambassadors of the respective countries greeted them. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked President Trump and the United […]
June 23, 2025
“Siarhei and I are together again and remain committed to the fight for our country” — Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s remarks from the press conference
It was incredibly emotional for me to finally see my husband after 5 long years. He is alive, and we are together again and remain committed to our fight. I want to personally thank President Trump and his administration. Without their tireless efforts, this moment would never have happened. Special gratitude goes to General Kellogg, […]
June 23, 2025
Siarhei Tsikhanouski’s speech and Q&A after 5 years in prison: Key highlights
On Belarus and the democratic movement: “I want to address all Belarusians – if you’ve been waiting for a sign, here it is. Governments perish when they can’t tell the good from the bad”. “The leader of Belarus is my wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and I’m not claiming any role here. Do you think that someone […]
June 23, 2025
Sviatlana and Siarhei Tsikhanouski: Joint Press Conference
The Belarusian leader, together with her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski, will answer questions from Belarusian and international journalists. You can watch the event live on Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s official YouTube channel. In addition to YouTube, the livestream will also be available on: 💬 X,📷 Instagram,🎥 TikTok.
June 22, 2025
Sviatlana and Siarhei Tsikhanouski: Joint Press Conference
The Belarusian leader, together with her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski, will answer questions from Belarusian and international journalists. You can watch the event live on Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s official YouTube channel. In addition to YouTube, the livestream will also be available on: 💬 X,📷 Instagram,🎥 TikTok.
June 22, 2025
Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 more political prisoners are free!
Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 more political prisoners have been released in Belarus thanks to the United States’ diplomatic efforts supported by Lithuania. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her team met the recently released prisoners. During a gathering later, the democratic leader spoke with them and said: “You are free. I know it’s hard to get used to […]
June 21, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with leaders of Venezuela’s democratic forces
In Madrid, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a meeting with Edmundo González, the President-elect of Venezuela in exile, who is recognized by many countries as the legitimate winner of the elections. During the meeting, they also called María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces, who is currently in hiding in Venezuela. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed her […]
June 21, 2025