DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BELARUS
On May 21, the Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus, solidarity rallies and events took place in various cities. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians ahead of the events. She reminded people about the conditions endured by those imprisoned and emphasized that persecution often does not end even after release. The address in Belarusian is available on YouTube. Read the full text in English.
From May 21 to 22, the Third Congress on Political Prisoners in Belarus #WithoutJustCause took place in Vilnius, bringing together former political prisoners, relatives of detainees, human rights defenders, diplomats, journalists, representatives of NGOs, and international partners.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered opening remarks, stressing that the release of hundreds of political prisoners became possible thanks to the solidarity of Belarusians, the work of human rights defenders, and international pressure. On Day One, discussions were held on solidarity with political prisoners, journalistic support, Belarusian prison literature, and the role of culture in the struggle for the release of political prisoners. The day concluded with a screening of the film “Under the Grey Sky”.
Opening Day Two, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, called for international solidarity and support for political prisoners and their families and highlighted the role of human rights defenders, volunteers, journalists, and lawyers. The day began with the presentation of BELPOL’s new report “The Real Scale of Political Repression in Belarus”. The report was prepared with contributions from the United Transitional Cabinet’s Representation for Social Policy and Volnyja, using materials from Dissidentby and Viasna. Participants discussed strategies for human rights work under conditions of total repression; the balance between security and effective assistance; opportunities for increased international pressure on the regime; and the role of the Belarusian community abroad in supporting political prisoners and Belarusian society as a whole.
The Congress was organized by Kryścina Šyjanok and the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces with the support of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.
The Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus prompted broad support around the world. Statements were issued by more than 40 governments, parliamentarians, diplomats, international organizations, and representatives of civil society.
GLOBSEC FORUM
On May 22–23, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Prague, where she took part in the GLOBSEC Forum — one of the key international platforms on security and democracy. She delivered a keynote speech at the panel “Defending Democracy’s Frontline Defenders: Journalists, Activists, and the Threat of Transnational Repression”. In addition, she took part in the session “Holding the Line on Democratic Resilience”, dedicated to the challenges facing modern democracies.
STUDY VISIT TO TALLINN FOR BELARUSIAN MEDIA
On May 20, the Representation of Democratic Belarus in Estonia organized a study visit to Tallinn for representatives of independent Belarusian media. Vitaly Malchanau, who heads the Representation, highlighted several key aspects of the visit:
- Journalists from 12 repressed Belarusian media outlets participated in the program.
- The agenda focused on strengthening media resilience, cybersecurity, countering disinformation, and cooperation with European institutions.
- Participants also attended training sessions on digital security and reporting under hybrid threats, drawing on Ukraine’s experience.
RUSSIA’S MASSIVE ATTACK ON UKRAINE
During the night of May 24, Russia launched another attack on Ukraine: missiles and drones struck residential buildings, killing civilians. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya released a statement: “We will always stand with people defending their homes, their families, and their freedom. We know what it means to live next to an aggressor that respects neither borders nor human life. We stand in solidarity with you and believe in your victory. Glory to Ukraine! Long Live Belarus!”
MILITARY DRILLS AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN BELARUS
On May 18, Belarus hosted joint Belarusian-Russian military exercises involving the use of nuclear weapons. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the situation in the country: “Why turn our country into a target for retaliatory nuclear strikes? If Belarus is to remain peaceful, Lukashenka must be stopped. He is leading Belarus toward a major disaster”.
On May 21, Russia openly declared the presence of its weapons on Belarusian territory. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the statement: “Lukashenka is once again putting the lives of Belarusians at risk. Step by step, he is drawing the country into nuclear blackmail: first, the nuclear-free status was removed from the Constitution; then came the announcement of the deployment of nuclear weapons and the Oreshnik missile system; next, joint exercises on the use of nuclear weapons were launched. There can be no peaceful sky with foreign nuclear weapons on our land. Belarus must be free of them”.
SEARCHES AT THE BELARUSIAN BORDER
The A Country to Live In Foundation has reported new cases of humiliating personal searches at the Belarusian border targeting people previously involved in so-called “protest cases”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, commented on the situation: “We call on international human rights organizations, EU institutions, and Belarus’s democratic partners to pay attention to these reports, seek independent documentation of such practices, and increase pressure on the regime for its systematic violations of fundamental human rights. Every such case must be documented. No act of humiliation should become a ‘new normal’”.
TEXTBOOK REWRITING COMMISSION IN BELARUS
A state commission was established in Belarus to rewrite textbooks on humanities subjects, including history. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Pavel Terashkovich, explained why the state is doing this and what consequences it may have: “The creation of a state commission on the ‘preparation of textbooks in the humanities and social sciences’ indicates that the rewriting process — which has never stopped throughout Lukashenka’s rule — will now be put on an almost industrial scale”.
MEDIA
Radyio Svaboda (Belarus), AP News (International), BBC (International), Nasha Niva (Belarus), Nasha Niva (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), DW (International).
