In an interview with ERR.ee, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya shared her perspective on the situation in Belarus and public opinion toward the war and the Lukashenka regime. The leader emphasized that Belarusians oppose aggression and do not support policies that turn their country into an international pariah.
Here are the key points from the conversation:
- Why Lukashenka is releasing some political prisoners
“Recent releases of political prisoners are partly due to the constant pressure on the regime but also an attempt by Lukashenka to send a signal to the West: ‘Look, this is an act of humanity, I’m releasing people’. Of course, it’s all a game, and we must not fall for these tricks. We’ve seen this in past years. It’s important to note that while, say, 50 people are released, twice as many are imprisoned during the same period”.
- Can political prisoners kept incommunicado file petitions for pardon?
“As for my husband or Viktar Babaryka, since they have been incommunicado for over a year, we don’t know if they’ve been approached with such an offer or how they could react. But in general, it’s a personal decision. If someone submits a petition for pardon, this should never be condemned – because these people are innocent. If it’s their only chance to save their lives, then it’s understandable why they might take this step”.
- Will Belarusians support Lukashenka in the sham election?
“There are, of course, those who are deeply loyal to Lukashenka and will stay with him till the end. But the people of Belarus want change; they don’t want to see their country as a pariah state – which is exactly where Lukashenka has brought it. The dictator has turned our country into a co-aggressor against the will of the Belarusian people”.
