Sergei Tikhanovsky, the husband of Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, issued a passionate appeal to US President Donald Trump during a recent press conference in Lithuania. After spending five years in solitary confinement, Tikhanovsky urged Trump to "just say the word" to help secure the release of all political prisoners in Belarus, emphasizing the dire human rights situation under the regime of Alexander Lukashenko.
Released unexpectedly alongside thirteen other political prisoners on Saturday, Tikhanovsky recounted the horrendous conditions he endured while incarcerated. With tears in his eyes, he described five years devoid of contact with the outside world, isolation from family and friends, and the denial of basic necessities. "You don't even get letters, not a single call," he stated, characterizing his experience as torture and highlighting the stark contrast to the treatment of violent offenders in prison.
His emotional remarks resonated with his wife, Tikhanovskaya, who described him as her "personal hero" and shared the painful reality that their daughter barely recognized her father due to his dramatic weight loss during imprisonment. Tikhanovskaya emphasized that all they sought was a reduction in US sanctions against Belarus, which she indicated were part of the challenges facing their country.
Tikhanovsky's resolve shone through as he insisted that he holds no desire to assume leadership of the opposition abroad, reiterating his wife's position as the leader of the Belarusian opposition. However, he declared, "I want to say to all Belarusians - if you were waiting for a symbol, this is it," calling on citizens to resist the oppressive regime.
His release has sparked renewed hope among the Belarusian opposition, which has faced intense crackdowns, with estimates of tens of thousands arrested for political wounds over the past five years. Following their release, additional calls for international support for dissidents and political prisoners are anticipated as global leaders respond to the ongoing crisis in Belarus.
