Imagine being locked in a dark cell, with no chance to say what you think, no letters, no phone calls, no contact with the outside world. This was the reality for Sergei Tikhanovsky, the Belarusian opposition leader who spent five years in a high-security prison fighting against Alexander Lukashenko’s dictatorship. Sergei lost nearly 60 kilograms; his once stocky, bearded face is now gaunt and changed, but his spirit? It’s not broken—in fact, it might be stronger than ever.
Sergei was one of the most prominent political prisoners in Belarus, known for his YouTube interviews and his attempt to run in the 2020 presidential elections. His wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, took over his candidacy and drew massive crowds, sparking huge protests and brutal crackdowns. In prison, Sergei endured relentless torture: isolation, cells with holes in the floor instead of toilets, punishments for stains on the walls or stray cobwebs, bans on seeing a priest, and constant threats that he would never get out.
Yet last week, after a rare diplomatic visit by a U.S. delegation, Sergei was suddenly released along with 13 other political prisoners. Though now in forced exile, he refuses to stop until all political prisoners are freed. His wife Svetlana, now the opposition leader, warns that sanctions must not be eased until repression in Belarus ends. Lukashenko may have shown willingness to talk, but repression continues— for every 14 released, 28 new arrests happen.
Sergei now seizes every chance to make up for lost time with his children and fight for a democratic Belarus. His story is shocking and inspiring, but also a warning to the world about the brutality of a regime that will stop at nothing to hold power. So, what do you think? Has the world shouted loud enough for Sergei and his people? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just say—Bravo, Sergei, you’re a hero!
