Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Latvian parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began her working visit to Riga with a productive meeting with the Latvian parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus”. She thanked the Latvian MPs for supporting Belarusians in exile – particularly for the legislative exemptions they have provided, as well as for their assistance to political prisoners and principled stance toward the regime. […]
May 09, 2025
“World War II is a pain that must remind us: War should never be a way to solve problems”
On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians with important reflections on war, peace, and our responsibility to history: “World War II is a wound that never heals. It is a pain that must remind us: War should never be a way to solve problems. Our grandparents did […]
May 09, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the Pope
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Your Holiness, I sincerely congratulate you on your election as pontiff and on your new solemn responsibility and service. Without a doubt, your appointment is a significant event not only for Catholics but for all Christians – and indeed for every person on Earth. Your voice will be heard by millions. And among […]
May 09, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met President George W. Bush in Dallas
During her visit to the United States, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, in Dallas. The meeting lasted over an hour and a half and focused on the situation in Belarus, the fight for freedom and democracy, and Belarus’ role in regional security. Key topics discussed included: […]
May 09, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the United States administration for its role in freeing political prisoners
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Eastern European Affairs, Christopher Smith, who oversees the United States’ policy on Belarus under the new administration. Among other responsibilities, Mr. Smith works on the release of political prisoners in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the new US administration for its role in securing the […]
May 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Washington: Meetings with members of Congress, senators, and representatives of the new administration
During her visit to Washington, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a series of meetings with members of the United States Congress, the State Department, and think tanks. This was her first visit since the new US administration came to power. The visit aimed to strengthen the bilateral Strategic Dialogue, discuss further steps for the release of political […]
May 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Belarusian diaspora in Washington
As part of her visit to Washington, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Belarusian diaspora and presented awards from the United Transitional Cabinet to distinguished compatriots. The ceremony also featured representatives of Belarusian communities and initiatives, diplomats, and members of the Department of State. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya acknowledged the contributions of the Belarusian diaspora in Washington: “I […]
May 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the release of 42 political prisoners
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today brought the first release of political prisoners in 2025. Another 42 people are finally returning home. Forty-two families will see their loved ones and hold them in their arms. They will finally be close again. But none of them should have been imprisoned in the first place. And as long as more […]
May 07, 2025
Leanid Marozau’s statement on the extended mandates of the UN Special Rapporteur and the Independent Expert Group on Belarus
The UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution extending the mandates of the Special Rapporteur and the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus. This extension is both an act of international solidarity and an important step toward restoring justice, the rule of law, and respect for human rights […]
May 07, 2025
Outlook on Belarus and regional dynamics
As Russia wages its war against Ukraine and instability persists in the region, the future of Belarus remains dependent not only on internal factors but also on a number of external ones. Experts from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office outline several possible scenarios for how the situation might develop in Belarus and the wider region to help […]
May 07, 2025
Visits to Warsaw, Valencia, and the United States, meeting at the Lithuanian Military Academy. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: April 28 – May 3
VISIT TO WARSAW Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Three Seas Summit in Warsaw at the invitation of Polish President Andrzej Duda. During the summit, which brought together delegations from over 20 countries, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held a series of brief conversations with heads of state from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, and Albania, […]
May 05, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, I want to speak about the people whose right to a dignified life requires special attention and protection. International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a reminder that our society must be just and inclusive for everyone, with no exceptions. There are over 560,000 people with disabilities living in Belarus, yet their […]
May 05, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Sedona Forum
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began her visit to the United States by participating in the Sedona Forum, hosted annually by the McCain Institute. The forum brings together global leaders to discuss major challenges to democracy, human rights, and security. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke on a panel dedicated to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, shifts in European […]
May 04, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s World Press Freedom Day address
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I started this morning, like many others, with Obychnoe Utro. I skimmed the headlines and checked the latest updates on repression. It’s become a routine for me – even on days packed with meetings and speeches during official visits. But thanks to the work of independent media, I can speak about Belarus at […]
May 04, 2025
Monthly recap: April 2025. Key events, new research, and notable achievements of Belarusian activists and NGOs
The Viasna Human Rights Center’s Legal Service prepared a guide for Belarusians facing confiscation of their property by the regime in Belarus. A new creative space, Art Fusion Space, opened in Vilnius. Cultural NGOs published an open letter with recommendations on how to better integrate cultural topics into political forums and conferences. The Humanitarian Ambulance […]
May 02, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Labor Day address
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today’s ‘holiday’ came to us from Soviet times, when labor was called an honor and the worker a hero – but only in words. In reality, workers were nothing more than cogs in a vast system where human life had no value. Unfortunately, this same attitude has been adopted by the current regime. […]
May 01, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the release of Yury Ziankovich
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I was overjoyed to learn about the release of Yury Ziankovich – a United States citizen who has been unjustly convicted by the Lukashenka regime and held as a political prisoner in Belarus. His release is the result of tremendous effort. Let me thank the President of the United States, the State Department, […]
May 01, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Speech at the European People’s Party Congress in Valencia
Dear Congress, Russia is turning my country, Belarus, into a military outpost. Deploying nuclear weapons. Militarizing industry. Massive drills – Zapad – are expected this fall. Last time, with such drills the full-scale invasion started. Thousands of Russian troops will gather, again, near the Lithuanian and Polish border. And yet, Belarus is barely mentioned in […]
April 30, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Three Seas Summit in Warsaw
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Warsaw, held at the invitation of Polish President Andrzej Duda. It was the first time Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was invited to the summit, which brought together delegations from over 20 countries. The Three Seas Initiative is a regional cooperation platform among Central and Eastern European […]
April 30, 2025
“Democratic Belarus will be a security guarantee for the entire region”
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy in Vilnius, where she met with the Academy’s Chief of Staff, Lt Col Denisas Starikovičius. During her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya urged not to give in to the regime’s provocations and manipulations and to distinguish the Belarusian people from the pro-Russian regime: “Belarusians respect Lithuania, its […]
April 30, 2025
Chornobyl Way, funeral of Pope Francis, Conference of the Belarusian Diaspora. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, April 21–27
CHORNOBYL WAY April 26 marked the 39th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on this occasion: “Chornobyl is not as distant as it may seem. Today’s regime behaves just like the Soviet authorities during the disaster. It is easier for them to stay silent, forget, and ignore. Chornobyl remains an inconvenient […]
April 28, 2025
Alexander Dabravolski: “Dictatorship is like another Chornobyl for Belarus”
Today, Belarusians in Vilnius honored the memory of the victims of the Chornobyl disaster. Dozens of people joined the events dedicated to the 39th anniversary of one of the most tragic events in Belarus’ history. Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Swedes, representatives of international organizations, politicians, and experts also participated in the event. The rally was held to […]
April 28, 2025
Statement on the 39th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
On April 26, we mark 39 years since the largest man-made disaster of the 20th century — the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This tragedy cast a dark shadow over Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, and many other European countries. Belarus became the country with the most contaminated territory (23%) and, as a result, the […]
April 27, 2025
Dzianis Kuchynski: “Pope Francis believed that dialogue is the solution to any crisis”
A delegation of Belarus’ democratic forces, which included Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and representatives of Christian Vision, took part in the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis at the Vatican. The delegation members offered their condolences to the Holy See and joined the memorial mass at St. Peter’s Square. After the ceremony, Dzianis Kuchynski […]
April 27, 2025
“For 29 years, Viasna has been defending Belarusians’ rights”
April 26 marks 29 years since the Viasna Human Rights Center was launched. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “For 29 years, Viasna has been defending Belarusians’ rights. It’s been 29 years of tireless work for justice. Throughout this time, dozens of human rights defenders have stood beside everyone who fell into the repressive grip of the regime in […]
April 27, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paid tribute to Chornobyl disaster victims
On April 26, as Belarusians held events around the world to mark the anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya laid flowers at the Chornobyl Mother monument in Vilnius. Diplomats and ambassadors from the Czech Republic, Croatia, and other Western countries also attended the ceremony.
April 27, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today marks 39 years since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. Almost four decades have passed, yet Belarus still feels the consequences of that catastrophe. The regime continues to conceal statistics on diseases and diagnoses in the contaminated areas. The same thing happened during the COVID pandemic five years ago, when the authorities advised people […]
April 27, 2025
Dzianis Kuchynski to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in the Vatican
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received an invitation from the Holy See to form a delegation from the democratic forces of Belarus to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican, which will take place on Saturday morning. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has appointed her Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, to lead the delegation and take part in the official […]
April 26, 2025
Visit to Kosovo, roundtable discussion in Czechia, vote in the Lithuanian Seimas. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, April 14–20
EASTER GREETINGS Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya wished a Happy Easter to all Belarusians: “Easter is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil. Let this day serve as a reminder: The future belongs to those who preserve their humanity. To those who reject falsehood and continue to change the world through love and support”. CHORNOBYL WAY […]
April 23, 2025