One of the most famous Belarusian political prisoners, Blogger Siyari Tsiknausky, who was released on 21 June after a visit to Belarus by President Trump’s Special Envoy Keith Kelog for Ukraine.
Tsikhanouski gave his first major interview to Alexandra Boguslavskaja of History Beg, who interviewed him five years before his arrest.
After being denied as the presidential candidate who challenged Alexander Lakashnko, Tsikanuski was detected in May 2020 and was later convicted in a 18 -year prison. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanuskaya, accepted the candidature and fled to the presidency in his place. After Lusashenko claimed a victory in an election, he was forced to escape from Belarus, which supervisors labeled as rigged. Tsikhaniskaya has been living in Villanius since then and has become the leader of the Belarusi Democratic protest in exile.
Deutha Velle: The first footage we saw was getting off the bus and hugging your wife. What does Svetlana like to embrace after five years of jail?
Siarhei Tsikhanouski: I can’t believe it. I spent five years in a solitary imprisonment cell, sometimes it was three square meters, sometimes six, and sometimes 18. And then, when you eventually see the open space around you, you become more than emotions. The doors of the bus opened and I saw Swiatlana. I could not believe it and I had tears in my eyes. I hugged her and said, “Let’s go somewhere.” We got a quiet place to talk privately. Honestly, still, I still cannot believe it. Emotions were so intense, tears just kept coming.
This is your first major interview after release, but your first DW interview. In May 2020, we spoke back a few weeks before your arrest at a rally in Godno, which led to a five -year prison sentence. After this, I asked if you are ready to face Daman, and you said that you were. But do you think it will be rigid and it will be long?
The government imprisoned people on things like non-political charges, alleged economic crimes. Since I am a businessman, I felt that they would do me only after three or four years on some fake economic allegations.
But I never expected to scare them so much by insisting on real change. Once he realized that, he decided to lock me pre -Female, Silence and Badmouth, and placed me behind bars.
What is to spend five years in solitary imprisonment?
Don’t think feet to talk to anyone – no one really. Do not listen to a single child’s word from anyone because you ever hear that there is insults, danger and negativity from the guard. They try to explain to you that you are no one that you have forgotten, which everyone has left, and no one is fighting for you. But I did not believe them. I knew that many Belarusians have supported me – I saw that support on the streets with my eyes.
It was difficult to think about my family because I had no information about the subject.
I got a chance to read books, and I continuously read. This helped me to remove my mind from everything because I was waiting for the day I would be free. I knew that the day would come.
At the press conference after your release, you said that all US President Trump says that there is a word and all political prisoners in Belarus will be freed. What is that word?
Well, of course, this is a metaphor. The US administration has been preparing for the release of Belarusian political prisoners for a few years. Groundwork is placed – I have partially involved in our release from diplomat and other sources.
The prosecutor met me in jail during the Biden administration last year. So preparation was already running, but under Donald Trump, this effort really increased speed.
The thing is that Trump was planning to resolve the Ukraine issue quickly, leaving restrictions on Russia. Since Belarus and Russia are part of a union state, if the restrictions on Russia were lifted, the Lushaneko regime would automatically get full access to all occasions – so the restrictions on Belarus will also have to be lifted, also. And if this happens, political prisoners will also have to be released.
But why did Trump abandon the release of political prisoners, while the European leader did not?
It is not about Trump personally. It is about big politics where everything is connected and you cannot solve only the issue of Belarusian political prisoners. This is definitely an important issue, but it is not as big as war in Ukraine. It is a bad dream, a tragedy for the whole of Europe.
I think European officials and diplomatic rule are doing the right thing by ignoring. As long as political prisoners stay behind bars, there should be no communication with it.
How did you find out the introduction of Russia in Ukraine, and what did you think about it?
At that time, what am I quiet in pre-trial custody. My lawyers were going to meet me, and I had a newspaper membership, so I came to know immediately. I could not believe it. I still do not understand how Putin, how the Russians, can attack the other country on the excuse that some Russians in Ukraine or Russian language were in danger. If you believe that dandruff is abused, bring them to your country. Build houses for them, give them pension. Why kill so many people?
After that, I stopped getting any information, so I don’t know what is going on. Now, I am just starting to take all this in and trying to understand it.
But one thing is clear for me: I fully support President Zellonsky. He is facing an incredibly difficult situation, and we all need to stand behind him – even if he makes a mistake here and there.
Five years of thesis, from your wife Bineg to an ordinary Belarusian woman from a real political person. People also call it presidential election. How do you feel about that change? Do you feel that you have to know your wife again?
No, I did not need to know him again. But honestly, I was surprised how much she changed. She became such a business woman – she was not a business woman earlier. But now he is very professional and drive. But at home, nothing has really changed. With children and with me, this is the same. The only difference is that it is completely incited by all the time.
Do you think your release can give a fresh promotion to the democratic movement? Perhaps the Belarusians have little hope?
This is not just that it can happen – it will happen. Of course, it will happen. I think very soon you will see us in many cities of Germany and other European capitals. Personally for me – you will definitely see me on Livestream.
Do you regret after five years behind bars?
no way. I asked my wife the same question – and has ever been through us, she said that she has nothing to regret. We could not do it in any other way. He was to submit a document as the presidential candidate in my place. And then she could not help, but could fight for me, once her husband was put in jail for nothing. She knew that I was not a criminal – and fighting was not an option.
This interview was recorded in the original Russian.
