Fourteen political prisoners, including prominent opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski, have been released by the Belarusian authorities in what appears to be a coordinated diplomatic move during the visit of U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg to Minsk.
The development marks the most significant release of detainees by the Lukashenko regime since the mass arrests that followed the disputed 2020 presidential election.
The prisoners, among them Tsikhanouski, were transferred to Lithuania following their release and are now reported to be in safety. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, Kęstutis Budrys, confirmed their arrival and stated that appropriate assistance was being provided. However, Budrys also underscored that this release, while welcome, was far from sufficient.
“More than 1,000 political prisoners remain in Belarusian custody,” Budrys wrote on social media. “This is not the end. All hostages must be released without delay.” He also highlighted the decisive role played by the United States in securing the release of the 14 individuals.
The release occurred on the same day Kellogg held talks with President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. Kellogg, who serves as Special Representative of U.S. President Donald Trump, is the highest-ranking American official to visit Belarus since Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s 2020 visit. During the meeting, held at the Palace of Independence, Lukashenko greeted Kellogg with a mix of informality and anticipation, reportedly saying, “What a surprise, welcome dear friend,” and expressing hope for a candid dialogue on global, regional and bilateral matters.
While no official communique was issued regarding the content of the discussions, the timing of the prisoner release indicates a coordinated outcome. Observers suggest it may be part of a wider attempt by Washington to encourage Minsk to distance itself from Moscow and explore limited avenues of engagement with the West.
Siarhei Tsikhanouski, aged 46, rose to prominence in 2019 through his YouTube channel A Country for Life, which featured interviews with Belarusians openly criticising local officials and state policies. He was arrested in 2020 after announcing his presidential ambitions. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, stood in his place and subsequently became the leading opposition figure in exile.
In 2021, Tsikhanouski was sentenced to 18 years in a high-security penal colony on charges including organising mass unrest and inciting hatred. In 2023, his sentence was extended by another 18 months. For over two years, there had been no public information about his condition, with reports indicating he had been held in complete isolation.
Confirming his release on social media, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed personal relief and political gratitude: “My husband Siarhei is free! It’s hard to describe the joy in my heart.” She thanked President Trump, Kellogg, American legal adviser John Cole, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher W. Smith, the U.S. Department of State, and EU partners.
The human rights organisation Viasna confirmed that, in addition to Tsikhanouski, thirteen other political prisoners were freed. These include Natallia Dulina, Ihar Karney, Halina Krasnianskaya, Akihiro Haievski-Khanada, and Kiryl Balakhanau. All were known to have been imprisoned for political activities or expressions of dissent against the Lukashenko government.
Following the release, John Cole, deputy to Kellogg, stated on X that “President Trump’s strong leadership led to the release today of 14 detainees from Belarus,” and thanked Lithuania for its cooperation, describing the country as “a true ally”.
While the release marks a rare instance of Belarusian cooperation with Western actors, it remains unclear whether the move signals a broader shift in Minsk’s external policy. There has been no comment from Lukashenko’s press service regarding the future status of remaining detainees.
Western governments have repeatedly called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners held in Belarus. According to rights groups, more than 1,000 individuals are currently imprisoned for politically motivated reasons, including journalists, civil society activists, and former election observers.
Though the transfer of 14 prisoners to Lithuania has been widely welcomed, EU diplomats and human rights advocates have stressed that broader systemic issues remain unresolved. The releases, they argue, do not absolve the Belarusian authorities of responsibility for ongoing repression.
For now, the release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski and others may represent a tactical concession amid renewed diplomatic engagement, but pressure continues to mount for the unconditional release of the remaining political detainees in Belarus.
