Belarus releases Siarhei Tsikhanouski and other prisoners, including two Latvian nationals

MINSK, June 22 (LETA--MEDUZA/BNS/AP) - The Belarusian authorities have released 14 political prisoners, including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the husband of opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Two Latvian nationals - Jurijs Ganins and Dmitrijs Mihailovs - are among the released prisoners, the Latvian Foreign Ministry said on platform X.

John Coale, an aide to US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg, announced the release on X.

"President Trump’s strong leadership led to the release of 14 prisoners from Belarus today. Thanks to the Lithuanian government for its cooperation and assistance - they remain a true friend and ally," Coale wrote.

"The Lukashenko regime is still holding more than 1,000 political prisoners and instrumentalizing migrants on its borders with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. International pressure on Belarus must continue to change this," the Latvian Foreign Ministry said.

Nasha Niva reports that Tsikhanouski has already left Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya shared a video on Telegram showing their reunion in Vilnius.

Estonian citizen Allan Roio, who had been in captivity since January of last year, also was released from a Belarusian prison on Saturday, spokespeople for the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.

The Belarusian regime suspected Roio of creating an extremist organization, and the court sentenced him to six and a half years in prison and a fine of nearly 6,000 euros. According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, efforts to free the Estonian citizen lasted nearly a year and a half.

Earlier on Saturday, Kellogg arrived in Minsk, where he met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Reuters reported that Kellogg viewed the trip as a potential opportunity to revive stalled peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Tsikhanouski rose to prominence in 2019 with his YouTube channel Country for Life, where he criticized the Belarusian government. In 2020, he announced plans to run in the country’s presidential election but was barred from registering. Tsikhanouskaya ran in his place, with her husband serving as her campaign manager. He was arrested later that year at a signature-gathering rally and, in December 2021, sentenced to 18 years in prison.