Belarus Frees Opposition Leader, 13 Political Prisoners After US Envoy Visit

Belarusian opposition leader Sergei Tsikhanovsky, a popular blogger and activist jailed since 2020 on politically motivated charges, was unexpectedly released along with 13 other political prisoners following a high-level meeting in Minsk between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg. Tsikhanovsky, who was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison, is now reunited with his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanovskaya, who had led the opposition campaign in exile after his arrest. Despite this release, more than 1,100 political prisoners remain detained in Belarus, including prominent dissidents such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition figures like Maria Kolesnikova. The release is seen as a rare diplomatic breakthrough and a potential sign of easing tensions, though Belarus remains closely aligned with Russia, hosting Russian military assets and facing ongoing Western sanctions. Tsikhanovskaya expressed deep gratitude to President Trump and European allies for their efforts but emphasized that the opposition's work to free all political prisoners continues. The freed prisoners were transported to Lithuania, highlighting the regional significance of this development amid Belarus's ongoing political repression and contested governance.