Exclusive: Belarus releases political prisoners, including opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski

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Exclusive: Belarus releases political prisoners, including opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski  The Belarus president pardoned several prisoners on Saturday during the visit of US special envoy Keith Kellogg in a move to ease tensions with the West.  READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/06/21/exclusive-belarus-releases-political-prisoners-including-opposition-leader-siarhei-tsikhan  Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages

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00:00Key Belarus opposition figure Sira Tishkanovsky forgot how to speak in prison,

00:08says Franak Vyakorka, chief of staff to opposition leader Svetlana Tishkanovskaia.

00:15In an exclusive statement to Euronews, Vyakorka details the surprise release of Belarus political prisoners on Saturday,

00:23also providing key political context elements to the U.S.-brokered deal.

00:27The visit of Trump's envoy Kellogg to Minsk maybe didn't bring any changes for Ukraine's peace talks,

00:35but it brought a very concrete result, released political prisoners, including Sergei Tishkanovsky.

00:41What other efforts didn't succeed, American effort did work.

00:47Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenki's regime arrested Tishkanovsky as the then-Belarusian opposition presidential candidates

00:55and Lukashenki's direct opposition.

00:57We have to help Ukraine so much as possible because our fate depends on the fate of Ukraine.

01:02But on the other hand, we should not forget human rights, we should not forget political prisoners.

01:06All those people who suffered for their political position for supporting Ukraine,

01:10for fighting for democracy, and European Union and the United States have to work together in coordination.

01:16Since last year, Lukashenka has been pardoning small numbers of imprisoned critics in what analysts see as a signal

01:23that Minsk is seeking to ease tensions with the West.

01:26Thank you very much.

01:27Thank you for your most.

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