June 21, Pozirk. Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, husband of Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, has been released from prison shortly after Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, met Alaksandar Łukašenka in Minsk.
Cichanoŭskaja’s press office has already posted photos from their meeting in Vilnius, noting that 14 high-profile designated political prisoners were freed.
These include former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Ihar Karniej, prominent linguist Natalla Dulina, anarchist activist Akichira Hajeŭski-Chanada and Halina Kraśnianskaja, who has Belarusian and Swedish citizenships.
Police arrested presidential hopeful Siarhiej Cichanoŭski two months before the 2020 election, as his sharp-edged campaign was gaining momentum and threatening to sweep Łukašenka from power.
In late 2021, he was given 18 years in prison on a number of criminal charges, including organizing mass riots, inciting hatred and interfering in elections. Two years later, authorities added 18 months to his term for alleged misbehavior. Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.
Cichanoŭski was held incommunicado since early March 2023.
