EUROPEAN POLITICAL COMMUNITY SUMMIT
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya participated in the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, where she held brief conversations on the margins with more than 20 European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
She also spoke during the panel discussion “Democratic Resilience, Hybrid Threats, and AI: Safeguarding Democratic Elections” held within the summit and met with Armenian experts and civil society.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatol Liabedzka, met with the Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, Rustam Bakoyan.
VENICE BIENNALE
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the Venice Biennale, one of the oldest and most prestigious international exhibitions of contemporary art. This year, the exhibition “Official. Unofficial. Belarus” was presented, created by the Belarus Free Theatre. The exhibition presents the reality of contemporary Belarus through symbols of censorship, the voices of political prisoners, images of total control, and the lived experience of systemic pressure.
81ST ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD WAR II END IN EUROPE
On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians, reminding them of the true meaning of this date: “This is a day of remembrance. A day when we honor those who defeated Nazism in the Second World War and those who never returned home. There is no family in Belarus untouched by that war. We remember that sacrifice, and that is why it is especially painful to see the memory of this horrific war being used as a propaganda tool to justify a new one”. Read the full address in English on the website.
NEW CHARGES AGAINST ULADZIMIR KNIHA
According to the Viasna Human Rights Centre, political prisoner Uladzimir Kniha will be tried for the third time under Article 411 of the Criminal Code of Belarus for “malicious disobedience to the administration of the correctional facility”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, released a statement on the regime’s use of Article 411 as a systemic instrument of political repression that contradicts fundamental legal principles, including the prohibition of double punishment.
COOPERATION WITH THE COORDINATION COUNCIL
While the Coordination Council and the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya are separate bodies, they work closely together in many areas. Ahead of the Coordination Council election, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office compiled several examples of how this cooperation delivers practical results for Belarusians.
KEY TRENDS IN BELARUSIAN EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
State control over education and science in Belarus continues to intensify, accompanied by political indoctrination, repression of the academic community, and underfunding. A new report by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Pavel Tereshkovich, highlights that the regime is restricting access to higher education, dismantling the non-state education sector, and increasing the militarization of training programs. The full report is available at the link.
“UNDER THE GREY SKY” FILM SCREENING IN WARSAW
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended a screening in Warsaw of “Under the Grey Sky”, a film by Belarusian director Mara Tamkovich. The film tells the story of journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva and her husband, journalist Ihar Ilyash. It was the first screening of this film attended by the recently released journalist. Ihar Ilyash remains behind bars.
MEDIA
Zerkalo (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), Belsat (Belarus), Euroradio (Belarus), Radyio Racyja (Belarus), Public Radio of Armenia (Armenia), Public Radio of Armenia (Armenia), Factor tv (Armenia), First Channel of Public Television of Armenia, 1in TV (Armenia), Interfax (Ukraine), TVP World (Poland), Polskie Radio (Poland).
