Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Jerry Buttimer, Speaker of the Irish Senate
Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann (Speaker of the Irish Senate) Jerry Buttimer. The Belarusian leader spoke about the latest wave of repressions against political prisoners. For his part, the speaker expressed his willingness to take patronage over a political prisoner, as well as urge other senators to join the campaign. […]
May 04, 2023
Meeting with Ireland’s Foreign Minister: support for political prisoners, assistance to Belarusian initiatives, simplification of visa and migration procedures
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin in Dublin. She spoke about the recent politically motivated court sentences in Belarus and mass repressions, the work of the United Transitional Cabinet and democratic forces, and the importance of supporting Belarusian volunteers and fighters in Ukraine. During the […]
May 04, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech on the Polish Constitution Day at the Polish Embassy in Dublin, 2023
«Your excellency Mrs. ambassador Anna Sochańska, Ambassador Marius Gudynas, Your excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen. 232 years ago the first constitution in Europe was adopted — the Constitution of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. It promoted democracy, introducing division of three branches of power. It guaranteed freedom of religion. It enhanced security and independence of the Commonwealth from foreign […]
May 03, 2023
Meetings with the President, Speaker of Parliament, speech before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues her visit to Ireland
As part of her visit to Ireland, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. He expressed full support for Belarusians and spoke about the Irish experience of fighting for identity and independence and restoring culture and identity, in which Ireland and Belarus have a lot in common. The leaders discussed the […]
May 03, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusian journalists on World Press Freedom Day
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Dear journalists, editors, and bloggers, on this World Press Freedom Day, I want to thank each and every one of you for the work that you do day and night, both in Belarus and beyond. You have not abandoned your work and continue to work for Belarusians in the country, covering their problems […]
May 03, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the sentence of Raman Pratasevich: “Have we remained true to our values?”
“This sentence is yet another test for all of us. Because our democratic movement is built on the following values: No one must be convicted on political grounds. No one must have to go through torture. No one's life must be for sale. So today, I ask every Belarusian: look at yourself, have you remained […]
May 03, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues her visit to Ireland
After receiving the Tipperary International Peace Award, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the ceremony organizers and guests to visit a memorial arch honoring Irish soldiers who fought in the First and Second World War. The Belarusian leader expressed a wish that similar memorial arches, honoring the heroes of 2020 and volunteer fighters who died defending the freedom […]
May 02, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tipperary Remembrance Arch
“Thank you for your invitation to share with you this special moment. Today, we pay tribute to brave men and women of Tipperary, who gave their lives for freedom around the world, in the two World Wars. We Belarusians also sacrificed many lives in both those wars, so this remembrance is something very close to […]
May 02, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Tipperary Peace Award, 2023
“Dear Mr. Martin Quinn, Honourable Secretary of Tipperary Peace Convention, Dear Mr. minister Seán Fleming, Dear Mr. Billy Kelleher, Dear Senator Mark Daly, Dear Mr. Guy Jones, Dear friends, It’s a great honor for me to receive the Tipperary Peace Award. To be among such prominent figures as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Ban Ki-moon, Malala […]
May 02, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will visit Ireland and receive a prestigious award for promoting world peace
On May 2-4, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will be on a working visit to Ireland, where she will receive the Tipperary International Peace Award, which has been presented annually since 1983 to politicians and public figures who have made the greatest contribution to world peace and the promotion of human rights. During her visit, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya will […]
May 01, 2023
«Repressions and cultural resistance: How to help Belarusians fight cultural oppression?» 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 […]
April 30, 2023
“Save yourself – stop hiding Babaryka”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Lukashenka’s accomplices
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Neither lawyers nor relatives of Viktar Babaryka have been able to see him and his condition. And this situation is not the only of its kind. Today, Lukashenka's accomplices do not realize the consequences of this pressure on political prisoners. They must understand, though, that in any change of situation, Lukashenka will only […]
April 28, 2023
Franak Viacorka: “We have already contacted representatives of diplomatic missions, European countries, the United States, and OSCE leadership”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Senior Advisor, Franak Viacorka, commented on the situation with Viktar Babaryka and the regime’s pressure on political prisoners. He also discussed the response from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, her Office, and the United Transitional Cabinet: “As soon as we received the reports, and later their confirmation, we started to act. The situation with Viktar Babaryka […]
April 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The situation of Viktar Babaryka and other political prisoners needs immediate international attention”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “On April 26, the jailed former presidential hopeful in Belarus, Viktar Babaryka, was transferred from a prison colony to a hospital and is undergoing surgery. Independent media reports indicate that he was taken to the hospital with traces of beatings. His lawyers and family members are denied information or contact with him. This […]
April 27, 2023
Support for media and volunteer fighters, visas for Belarusians, pressure on the regime. Results of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s April 24-25 visit to Germany
“Yesterday, on April 25, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya finished her visit to Berlin, where she delivered the annual Berlin Freedom Speech at the Brandenburg Gate, held working meetings with Germany's Minister of Finance Christian Lindner, German Chancellor Advisor Jens Plötner, and US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann. In Berlin, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also commenced the work of the […]
April 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “We demand a public demonstration of Viktar Babaryka’s condition”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Last night, reports came that Viktar Babaryka was taken to the hospital with signs of beating. We demand a public demonstration of his condition. We demand access for his lawyers and relatives. Any other actions will be interpreted as deliberate harm to his life and health.”
April 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya laid flowers at Vilnius’ Chornobyl Mother Memorial on the disaster anniversary
Today, together with diplomats from Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Estonia, the US, Finland, Ireland, and the UK, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya laid flowers at the Chornobyl Mother Memorial in Vilnius. The gesture paid tribute to the 37th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster on April 26. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “We must remember Chornobyl. It is a painful memory but also […]
April 26, 2023
Kristina Rikhter: “For 27 years, human rights defenders in Belarus have been embodying the spirit of justice and freedom. They often risk their own freedom to ensure that fundamental human rights are observed and protected”
Today marks the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Viasna Human Rights Center. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Office and its Advisor on Legal Issues Kristina Rikhter congratulated the human rights defenders: “Today, April 26, the Viasna Human Rights Center celebrates its 27th birthday. This is an important moment for us to talk about the brave work […]
April 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the 2nd Belarusian Business Forum in Vilnius, 2023
“Dear guests, dear speakers, I would like to thank you all for coming to the 2nd Belarusian Business Forum in Vilnius. I am grateful to be here with you today. Congratulations to the organizers: Association of Belarusian Business Abroad and those who supported this event: Lithuanian Business Confederation, European Commission and USAID. It is already […]
April 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with German Minister of Finance Christian Lindner
During her visit to Germany, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the German Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner. She thanked him for supporting Belarus over the past three years. Mr. Lindner was the first German politician to protest outside the Belarusian embassy after August 9, 2020, and the diaspora is extremely grateful to him for that. They […]
April 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged the Belarusian diaspora to join the Chornobyl Way rallies
Tomorrow, on April 26, the anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, Belarusians all over the world will take to the Chornobyl Way rallies to openly and explicitly demonstrate that they stand against nuclear weapons. All events are marked on the dze.chat map. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya herself will join the rally in Vilnius. Image: @motolkohelp
April 25, 2023
German Bundestag established a Friends of Belarus group. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined its first meeting
The group includes 30 MPs from almost all German political factions in the Bundestag: Social Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Greens. During her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that the Belarusian issue unites German politics rather than divides it, which is a very important signal. She called on the MPs to join the International Day of Solidarity […]
April 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “PRC was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus’ independence in 1991. The statements made by the ambassador are unacceptable”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The Chinese ambassador to France made remarks about former Soviet countries, stating they don’t have an “effective status in international law.” Thus, the Chinese ambassador questioned the sovereignty of 15 countries, including Belarus. It goes without saying that such statements by the ambassador are absolutely unacceptable. The international community recognized Belarus as a […]
April 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Committee for EU Affairs of the Bundestag in Berlin, 2023
“Mr. Chairman Michael Roth, Mr. Chairman Dr. Anton Hofreiter, Dear members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the European Affairs Committee, Dear friends, Thank you for this opportunity to meet with you. On behalf of the Belarusian people, let me thank you for supporting our fight for democracy. Yesterday, I spoke to the members of […]
April 25, 2023
Outcomes of the Second Conference of the Belarusian Diaspora
On April 22-23, over 120 representatives of Belarusian initiatives and communities from different continents gathered in Vilnius for the Diaspora Conference. The Conference aimed to discuss making the work of the diaspora more effective and matching the needs of Belarusians within Belarus, and improving cooperation between activists and politicians. Participants of the Conference agreed to: […]
April 25, 2023
German Bundestag established a Friends of Belarus group
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began her visit to Germany. As a result of her first meeting in the Bundestag, a group of Friends of Belarus including about 30 MPs was established in the German parliament. During the meeting, the group members agreed on internships in the German parliament for young Belarusians. As the parties also discussed […]
April 24, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the 17th Berlin Speech on Freedom, 2023
“Honorary guests, dear friends, Representatives of Friedrich Naumann Foundation I will be speaking today about something that is very dear to my heart – freedom. The fight for freedom is often romanticized. We all remember the beautiful pictures of mass protests in Belarus, when hundreds of thousands took to the streets. We remember fearless women on […]
April 24, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya wished Maryia Kalesnikava a happy birthday: “It was you who made me and thousands of Belarusians believe we can endure even the most difficult trials”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Dear Belarusians, I guess you know that most letters to Maryia, like to thousands of political prisoners, are blocked by censorship. But today I urge each and every one of you watching this video to write to our Maryia. If you don't know what to write about, tell her about your life, what […]
April 24, 2023
People’s agency, diaspora influence, regime accountability, political prisoners. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced four priorities of the Office and the United Transitional Cabinet
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the Second Conference of the Belarusian Diaspora, where she announced the main priorities of the Office and the United Transitional Cabinet: 1. Rebuilding people's agency “This is not easy as we are in an extraordinary situation: we are the people of a country that does not belong to us. We […]
April 22, 2023