Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expresses condolences to the family and loved ones of Mikita Melkaziorau
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “It’s hard to accept that this is true. It feels as though this simply could not have happened. Sadly, on the night of December 21, journalist and host of Zhytstsio-Malina Mikita Melkaziorau passed away. Mikita had a rare gift – he knew how to give people the space to be themselves. His work […]
December 21, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s International Migrants Day address
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “For Belarusians, this issue is particularly painful. After 2020, Belarus experienced the largest wave of forced emigration in its modern history. Between 500,000 and 600,000 people left the country. That’s tens of thousands of broken lives and separated families. A vast number of people continue to leave the country, as the sense of […]
December 20, 2025
A group of released Belarusian political prisoners arrived in Vilnius
Twenty of the 123 people who were released on December 13 and expelled from Belarus arrived in Vilnius from Ukraine. Among them are politician Pavel Seviarynets and human rights defender Uladz Labkovich. In Vilnius, the released prisoners were met by their relatives, volunteers, activists, and representatives of the democratic forces of Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed […]
December 18, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Ales Bialiatski met with Lithuanian Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas
On December 17, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Ales Bialiatski met with the Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Juozas Olekas, at the Lithuanian Parliament. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and her Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, also joined the meeting. The parties discussed the situation of political prisoners in Belarus, as well as cooperation […]
December 18, 2025
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda received Ales Bialiatski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
On December 15, the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, received Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who was released from prison on December 13 and deported to Lithuania. During the meeting, President Nausėda emphasized Ales Bialiatski’s courage and steadfastness, noting that his resilience, moral strength, and commitment to […]
December 18, 2025
Release of 123 political prisoners. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: December 8–14
RELEASE OF 123 POLITICAL PRISONERS On December 13, 123 political prisoners were released in Belarus, including Maryia Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka, Ales Bialiatski, Maksim Znak, Uladzimir Labkovich, Maryna Zolatava, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Pavel Seviarynets, and others. Some of the prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski, were deported to Lithuania, others to Ukraine. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the released prisoners at […]
December 17, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Margaret Thatcher Award
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Margaret Thatcher Award in Rome, presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and principled commitment to defending freedom. In her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that the Belarusian revolution is often called a “revolution with a woman’s face”, dedicating the award to the brave Belarusian women who have become symbols […]
December 15, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Parliamentary Group “For a Democratic Belarus” in Italy
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with representatives of the Group “For a Democratic Belarus” in the Italian Parliament in Rome today. She thanked the MPs for their solidarity and steadfast support for Belarus – both in international organizations and in their assistance to Belarusian refugees, former political prisoners, and volunteers who fought for Ukraine. She stressed that […]
December 15, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the release of 123 political prisoners
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, 123 political prisoners were released after being illegally deprived of their freedom for a long time. Among them are Maryia Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka, Ales Bialiatski, Maksim Znak, Valiantsin Stefanovich, Uladzimir Labkovich, Maryna Zolatava, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Pavel Seviarynets, and others. For their relatives and loved ones, this is a moment of relief after […]
December 14, 2025
5 years of the People’s Embassies! Answering the key questions
On December 10, the People’s Embassies of Belarus mark their fifth anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we answer the main questions about the project. 1) What are the People’s Embassies? The People’s Embassies of Belarus are a network of democratic representations abroad, created by Belarusians for Belarusians in 2020. They perform the functions that official […]
December 12, 2025
“Repression will not stop our pursuit of freedom and justice”
On Human Rights Day, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, speaks about the human rights situation in Belarus, as well as the crucial role of human rights defenders, who, despite repression, continue to defend the truth and document the regime’s crimes. Leanid Marozau: “On Human Rights Day, I want to emphasize that in […]
December 12, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended today’s Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo at the invitation of this year’s laureate, María Corina Machado – the Venezuelan opposition leader and prominent defender of democracy who has spent many years fighting for freedom and human rights in her country. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I am at the Nobel Prize ceremony in […]
December 10, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Human Rights Day address
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Freedom, dignity, and the right to be heard belong to every human being, regardless of their citizenship, religion, or place of residence. But in Belarus, the regime is doing everything it can to destroy human rights. Thousands of Belarusians remain behind bars simply because they dared to be free, to defend their dignity, […]
December 10, 2025
A shelter for repressed Belarusians and the Belarusian Democratic Community Center opened in Florence
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a visit to Italy, where today, December 9, the opening of a shelter for political refugees from Belarus and their families took place. The shelter is already home to several repressed Belarusians, including a former volunteer of the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment fighting in Ukraine. The Belarusian Democratic Community Center in Italy […]
December 10, 2025
Visit to Norway, OSCE Ministerial Council meeting, Grand Continent Summit. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: December 1–7
VISIT TO NORWAY On December 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paid a visit to Norway, where she held a number of meetings: with the Speaker of the Storting, Masud Gharahkhani; with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide; with the Minister of Development, Åsmund Aukrust. She also took part in a public event of the Norwegian […]
December 09, 2025
Release of political prisoners, pressure on the regime, and peace negotiations: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held talks with with Kaja Kallas
During her visit to Brussels, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Their conversation focused on the situation in Belarus, international efforts to secure the release of political prisoners, Belarus within the regional security architecture, and possible prospects for future negotiations on Ukraine. They emphasized the […]
December 09, 2025
€30 million for Belarusian programs: EU to support independent media, repressed individuals, and civil society
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is in Brussels. On December 8, she met with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, who informed Ms. Tsikhanouskaya about a €30 million aid package to be allocated to Belarusian programs in 2026. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Commissioner Kos and the European Union for their consistent and principled support for repressed individuals and […]
December 09, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a high-level European Parliament conference on Belarus in Brussels
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke during the opening of the high-level conference “Building Foundations for Democratic Change” in Brussels. She emphasized that this meeting is not just a discussion about reforms but a foundation for a future democratic country. In her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya addressed the transitional period and the preparation of new legislation: “The idea […]
December 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Bonn International Prize for Democracy and the Rule of Law
On December 7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya received the Bonn International Prize for Democracy and the Rule of Law for her contribution to the protection of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law. The ceremony took place in Bonn (Germany) within the annual program that honors individuals and organizations who courageously defend human rights, […]
December 08, 2025
Rally against the Lukashenka regime’s hybrid attacks took place in Vilnius
On December 7, a protest rally against the regime’s hybrid attacks was held near the Embassy of Belarus in Lithuania. Participants stressed that Lukashenka’s aggressive policy does not reflect the position of the Belarusian people. A symbolic performance took place during the rally; representatives of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office set up a small installation near the […]
December 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Innsbruck: Speeches at the Management Center Innsbruck and the European Media Summit
After taking part in the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived in Innsbruck, Austria, on a working visit. The visit took place against the backdrop of intensified international discussions about the future of European security, the situation in Belarus, and the role of the media in defending democracy. On the evening of […]
December 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a side event during the OSCE Ministerial Meeting
On the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Meeting, a side event titled “Preparing a Democratic Future for Belarus” took place. The event was organized by the member countries of the “For a Democratic Belarus” Alliance. Alongside Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, participants included the Political Secretary of State of Finland, Pasi Rajala; the Head of the International Accountability […]
December 08, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is in Vienna, where she is participating in the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting. She was invited by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and the Foreign Minister of Finland, Elina Valtonen. A session on Belarus was held during the visit, where Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered remarks. Only two countries – Ukraine and Belarus – had dedicated side […]
December 06, 2025
Dzianis Kuchynski met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Smith
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, is on a visit to the United States. In Washington, he met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Europe, Christopher Smith: “An excellent discussion with Christopher Smith – our true friend and ally. On behalf of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, I sincerely thanked him for his tireless efforts to secure […]
December 06, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “In Belarus, many people have needs that have remained invisible to the regime for years. People with disabilities do not require special privileges to live fully – they require only fair and accessible conditions: healthcare, education, the ability to move around, work, and participate in public life. What is routine for some of […]
December 06, 2025
Talks at the White House: Release of political prisoners and the future of Belarus
In Washington, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, held talks with the Deputy National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, Andy Baker. Mr. Kuchynski noted the United States’ outstanding diplomatic efforts and expressed hope that the humanitarian releases would continue and all political prisoners would be freed. On behalf of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski conveyed […]
December 06, 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the Grand Continent Summit
On December 3, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Grand Continent Summit, speaking on the panel “How Democracy Thrives”. The Grand Continent Summit is a closed forum in the Alps that brings together around two hundred experts and politicians. It is organized by the French publication Le Grand Continent under the patronage of French President […]
December 03, 2025
Monthly recap: November 2025. Key events, new research, and notable achievements of Belarusian activists and NGOs
The book “A Political Prisoner’s Survival Guide” — a collection of advice and illustrations created by people who have been imprisoned in Belarus — was presented in Vilnius. Budźma Belarusami! released a video on the issue of banned books in Belarus. Belarusians in various countries commemorated Raman Bandarenka on the anniversary of his death. The […]
December 02, 2025
Visit to Berlin, United Transitional Cabinet meeting, Women’s Political Leadership Academy in Prague. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: November 24–30
VISIT TO BERLIN On November 26–27, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Berlin. She met with the new President of the Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, to discuss efforts to secure the release of political prisoners – the parties agreed to continue cooperation between the Bundestag and the democratic forces of Belarus. With the Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya […]
December 02, 2025