Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address to Women PACE group in Strasbourg, 2023
“Dear friends, Let me start by thanking “Women PACE Group” for your invitation and for bringing all of us together. It’s a privilege for me to be in a circle of like-minded women. I don’t need to prove myself, excuse myself, or to compete for the place on the podium. I can be honest about […]
June 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Political Committee of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, 2023
“Dear Chair Zsolt Nemeth, Dear Members of PACE, Dear Belarusian friends, I am happy to see that the cooperation between the Belarusian democratic movement and the Assembly becomes more robust every year. And it's great to see representatives of Belarusian parties regularly participating in political committee meetings. I am glad that the voice of Belarusians […]
June 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address to Council of Europe Ambassadors in Strasbourg, 2023
“Dear Excellencies, I feel that I am among friends today. We all share the same values and the same dream – to live in freedom and peace. And I wish to thank each of you for supporting our cause and our fight for the democratic future of Belarus. Because of your help, the Council of […]
June 20, 2023
Belarus’ civil society will hold a campaign in support of victims of torture
Thousands of Belarusian men and women have faced torture in the three years after 2020 alone. We remember that and must not remain silent. Therefore, the Legal Initiative NGO, in partnership with the International Committee for Investigation of Torture in Belarus, will hold thematic events in Warsaw, Vilnius and Poznan aimed at showing the unacceptability […]
June 19, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on Medical Worker Day
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today Belarus celebrates Medical Worker Day. And it is about the same people who three years ago, with almost no protective equipment, treated Belarusians for COVID-19. At the time when the state denied the pandemic, they continued to save human lives. Without sleep. Without equipment. Without rewards. The government constantly talks about how […]
June 18, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on the anniversary of detention of Viktar and Eduard Babaryka
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today marks exactly three years since the day the regime kidnapped the Babaryka family. Father and son were detained on the same day and are still behind bars. By now, we have not heard from Viktar Babaryka since April 25, and Eduard has spent almost a year and a half in pre-trial detention […]
June 18, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged Belarusians to support Belarusian independent cinematography
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Belarusians often invite me to movie premieres. For instance, I attended the presentation of the 'Courage' movie by Aliaksandr Paluyan and watched the 'Voices of Belarus' play this spring. But I am aware that most Belarusians do not have such opportunities as independent films are not shown in Belarusian cinemas, and theatrical performances […]
June 17, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on Putin’s statement about placement of the first batch of nuclear weapons in Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Let's start by remembering that neither we nor our international partners have any reliable information. It is very possible that two dictators are deliberately pushing false information about nuclear weapons. What they want is to scare Belarusians and force Western countries to stop supporting Ukraine and to negotiate with Lukashenka and Putin. They […]
June 17, 2023
Residence permits for Belarusians, assistance to Belarusian volunteers, Friends of Belarus group: results of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to Estonia
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was on a working visit to Tallinn, where she held meetings with the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna, the Speaker of the Parliament, Lauri Hussar, Member of Parliament Urmas Reinsalu, Belarusian diaspora, and also spoke at the Conference of European Churches. The main outcome of the visit was the establishment […]
June 16, 2023
Estonian Parliament established a Friends of Democratic Belarus group. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Speaker of the Parliament
The establishment of the group was announced during Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's meeting with the Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Lauri Hussar. The group includes representatives from both the ruling parties and the opposition. The group's immediate plans include hearings on Belarus, a resolution on Belarus regarding the placement of nuclear weapons, and a parliamentary visit to […]
June 16, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia as part of her working visit
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was on an official visit to Tallinn, where she met for the first time with the newly-appointed Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna. On the occasion of the Belarusian leader's visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs displayed white-red-white flags. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the situation with political prisoners, Russia’s creeping occupation […]
June 16, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s keynote address at the CEC General Assembly in Tallinn, 2023
“Dear President Karis, Dear Reverend Krieger Your Eminence archbishop Nikitas, Dear Prof. Slotte, Dear Dr. Sørensen, Esteemed delegates and participants of the General Assembly, On February 24, 2022, we all woke up in a nightmare: the Russian Federation launched a full-scale aggression against the Ukrainian nation, bombarding and invading them also from the territory of […]
June 15, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Everywhere Belarusians go, they bring love and mutual assistance”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Yesterday Warsaw hosted the ‘Jandnajsia!’ (‘Unite!’) event. I believe that we all really need such gatherings. If we could all meet every day, hug, and talk, we would have more energy, strength, and inspiration to keep going. During the event, passing through the roll-ups of Belarusian initiatives and meeting the smiles of people […]
June 15, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented nine Honor and Dignity medals to families of Belarusian soldiers who died in Ukraine
Several medals were handed to comrades of the fallen Kastus Kalinouski Regiment warriors. “Today, on behalf of the United Transitional Cabinet, I have the honor to present Honor and Dignity medals to those who have shown exceptional dedication in serving Belarus. It was their selflessness that, in the most challenging time in the history of […]
June 14, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will hold a working visit to Estonia on June 15
On June 15, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will deliver a keynote speech at the Plenary Session opening of the General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches, which will take place on June 15-20 in Tallinn. The General Assembly will bring together more than 300 representatives of 113 member churches from all over Europe. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will open […]
June 14, 2023
Five vehicles were delivered to the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's team thanks Germany's Federal Foreign Office for supporting the request for assistance to Belarusian volunteers fighting against Russian aggression in Ukraine. According to the command, five vehicles delivered to the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment are already being used for combat tasks. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the cooperation of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's team […]
June 14, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Parents are your allies once you let them know the issue”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “In Novaya Baravaya, a Minsk district, people again stood in line, but this time to enroll their children in the local school's first grade. There are only 150 places available, but there are many more applicants. And although by law, all those with registered residence address near the school should be admitted, in […]
June 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the International Labour Organization resolution on the need to review relations with Lukashenka’s regime
“Yesterday, the International Labour Organization adopted a resolution on Belarus, calling on member states to review their relations with the Lukashenka regime. The ILO has only taken such a decision once before. The vast majority of the organization's members from around the world, namely 301, voted in favor of this resolution. The delegation of the […]
June 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The threat posed by Russian nuclear weapons and troops has returned to Belarus”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Lukashenka is trying to downplay the severity of foreign nuclear weapons being stationed in Belarus. However, his claims are once again proving to be untruthful. He is actually arguing with Khrenin and Shoigu, who on May 25 signed documents to give Moscow control over nuclear weapons on our territory, including its use. One […]
June 13, 2023
UN International Court of Justice or Tribunal? Conference on accountability for the Lukashenka regime was held in Vilnius
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Kristina Rikhter, her Advisor on Legal Affairs, participated in the international conference “Responsibility of Lukashenka’s Regime for Crimes Against Humanity and Migrant Crisis: Prospects for International Justice”. Kristina Rikhter explains about the conference and the issues raised: “The conference discussed the Lukashenka regime’s crimes that may be prosecuted and mechanisms to […]
June 12, 2023
“Belarus’ political prisoners: what should be done to free them?” – policy brief by Oxford Belarus Observatory
Oxford Belarus Observatory, in collaboration with the Research Centre of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (OST) and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) of the University of Warwick, is compiling a series of Policy Briefs based on the discussions taking place in our jointly convened Expert Webinar series. We invite you to read the […]
June 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the International conference: “Responsibility of Lukashenka’s Regime for Crimes Against Humanity and Migrant Crisis: Prospects for International Justice” in Vilnius, 2023
“Ms. Ewelina Dobrowolska, Ms. Anaïs Marin, Mr. Dainius Žalimas, Ladies and gentlemen, In the first place, let me thank Lithuanian Ministry of Justice, and the Law and Democracy Center for organizing this conference. This conference is another step in restoring justice in Belarus. To restore justice, we need not only to release all political prisoners […]
June 12, 2023
“The EU’s approach towards Belarus, in the context of the wider neighbourhood: is there a strategy?” A policy brief by Oxford Belarus Observatory
Oxford Belarus Observatory, in collaboration with the Research Centre of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (OST) and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) of the University of Warwick, is compiling a series of Policy Briefs based on the discussions taking place in our jointly convened Expert Webinar series. We invite you to read the […]
June 11, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented Honor and Dignity medals to families of Belarusian fighters who died in Ukraine
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited an exhibition in the Seimas of Lithuania commemorating Belarusians who fought and died in Ukraine. The ceremony of awarding the medals began with a moment of silence. The Belarusian leader presented the Honor and Dignity medals on behalf of the United Transitional Cabinet to the families of Belarusian heroes who died […]
June 10, 2023
Education in Belarus is in decay, graduates are increasingly leaving the country. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the regime’s recent initiatives in education
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Thanks to the regime’s officials, late spring was hell for school graduates. In an online chat with thousands of participants, many talked about leaving the country. People have been leaving for many years. Studying abroad is normal. What's abnormal is when it becomes a one-way trip. Previously, what stopped young Belarusians from going […]
June 09, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Belarusian women persist in their ongoing struggle that began in 2020”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, spoke at the Women Political Leaders Summit in Brussels. “Belarusian women persist in their ongoing struggle that began in 2020. It is inevitable that Belarusians defeat the dictatorial regime of Lukashenka. It is a matter of time and our solidarity that Ukraine wins over […]
June 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the Kakhovka dam explosion: “Russia must fully answer for its crimes in Ukraine”
“Russia's actions yesterday were yet another clear signal to the world of the threat it poses to all living beings. This deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure has led to the suffering of innocent individuals. Such actions by Russia will not be overlooked by the international community. Russia must fully answer for its crimes in Ukraine, […]
June 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a meeting with representatives of Kastus Kalinouski Battalion
“We can only free Belarus together. We need to communicate and unite. Everyone is working in their field. Today, the Kastus Kalinouski Battalion is fighting both for Ukraine and a free Belarus. We support them in their efforts, as well as everyone who continues the struggle. I expressed my gratitude to the volunteer fighters for […]
June 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Michael Carpenter to discuss protection for national identity and accountability for the regime
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Michael Carpenter during her visit to Vienna. She thanked the US Ambassador to the OSCE for the support of the Moscow Mechanism on Belarus and for joining the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners. The parties discussed possible steps for the release of political prisoners. They talked about the absence […]
June 07, 2023