Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “United States President Donald Trump has nominated John Coale as the Special Envoy to Belarus. This is an important and encouraging step – a sign that Belarus and our political prisoners remain in the focus of the United States’ attention.
I want to thank President Trump for this decision and for all his efforts to secure prisoners’ release. Over the past few months alone, nearly 100 political hostages in Belarus have been freed thanks to his team’s work. Behind this number are real people – their families, their pain, and their long wait. And now we await more releases.
Together with John Coale and his team, we have been working for several months to bring our people home, to stop the repression, and to give hope to those still behind bars. We deeply appreciate these efforts and will continue doing everything we can to see everyone free as soon as possible.
A few months ago, Mr. Coale and I welcomed released hostages at the United States’ Embassy in Vilnius. They had endured years of isolation and torture. It was a deeply emotional meeting – tears, smiles, and embraces.
Together with our partners, we will continue to fight for the release of all political prisoners and for real change in Belarus.
Belarus will be free. And everyone who is in captivity today will return home”.
