WASHINGTON—U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Roger Wicker (MS), Commissioner Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and Senator Dick Durbin (IL) today issued a statement on the fifth anniversary of the arrest of Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Tsikhanouski is a former candidate for president of Belarus, husband of exiled leader of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and father to two children.
“On this troubling anniversary, we honor Siarhei and all those who have risked everything to challenge a ruthless dictator. Siarhei is one of nine political prisoners in Belarus who are held incommunicado—with no one on the outside able to confirm they are even alive. More than a thousand others languish in prisons on sham charges for ‘crimes’ as small as a comment on social media.
“These prisoners are more than just victims of a cruel regime. They are spouses, friends, parents, colleagues, and leaders who want their country to become a democratic and prosperous place where they and their families can thrive. They must be released unconditionally. Thank you to Sviatlana for bravely carrying on her husband’s work and keeping hope alive for Belarusians who want to live in peace and freedom in their home country.”
In May 2020, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, known for his popular YouTube channel examining social and political problems in Belarus, announced his intention to challenge dictator Alexander Lukashenka in the upcoming presidential election. Siarhei and his supporters were threatened and heavily monitored by authorities and subjected to detention and arrests. Siarhei was prohibited from registering as a candidate in the elections and was eventually arrested on May 29, 2020, while collecting signatures on a petition for his wife, Sviatlana, to run for office in his place. He is serving a 19 ½ year sentence in a high security Belarusian prison and has been held incommunicado for over two years. There are currently nearly 1,200 political prisoners in Belarus, several of whom are held with no access to a lawyer or ability to communicate with friends and family—essentially, victims of forced disappearances. Included among these prisoners is journalist Ihar Losik, who was prosecuted for his work as a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
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