Freed Belarusian dissident details torture, urges release of prisoners
Belarusian dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski has been released after spending more than five years as a political prisoner, and he is now advocating for the liberation of those still imprisoned. In a video message played before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tsikhanouski made a heartfelt plea for international action to address the human rights abuses in Belarusian prisons.
“I was subjected to torture, solitary confinement, and brutal conditions. I was denied basic human rights, cut off from the outside world, and subjected to psychological manipulation and propaganda. What is happening in Belarusian prisons is not justice, it is a systematic violation of human rights,” Tsikhanouski revealed in the video.
Tsikhanouski expressed his gratitude to the international community, particularly the efforts of the Trump administration, for securing his release. Through U.S. mediation, he and 13 other political prisoners were freed from captivity. He credited the U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine and Russia, Gen. Keith Kellogg, for his role in facilitating his release.
The newly appointed U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, highlighted the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus and condemned the abuse of legislation to suppress dissent. Muižnieks emphasized the unjust imprisonment of opposition figures, journalists, human rights defenders, and other activists by Belarusian authorities.
After Tsikhanouski’s message was played at the U.N. Human Rights Council, Muižnieks acknowledged the significance of his words, which carry the weight of personal experience and suffering endured in prison. Tsikhanouski has since been reunited with his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in Lithuania, where they continue their advocacy for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
The Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer, echoed the call for the liberation of the remaining 1,150 prisoners in Belarus. He commended Tsikhanouski for his courage in speaking out against the oppressive regime and emphasized the importance of upholding human rights and freedom of expression.
As the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Tsikhanouskaya shared a photo illustrating the toll that five years of imprisonment took on her husband. Despite the challenges they faced, the couple remains committed to seeking justice and freedom for all those unjustly detained in Belarus.
Tsikhanouski’s harrowing ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights violations in Belarus and the urgent need for international intervention to address these atrocities. His courage and resilience in the face of adversity inspire hope for a future where justice and freedom prevail for all individuals, regardless of their beliefs or political affiliations.
