20:05 14 March 2025
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Belarusians Live Under "Stalin-Era Gulag" Conditions
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has warned that Belarusians have lived under "Stalin-era gulag" conditions for nearly five years, facing daily repression and arrests.
"At least half a million people have fled the country," she said.
Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus’s disputed 2020 election, was forced into exile in Lithuania but continues leading the opposition.
She expressed gratitude to Poland for accepting thousands of Belarusian refugees, while emphasizing that many citizens continue resisting inside the country.
"Despite repression, people are not giving up. Our movement is underground," she added.
Tsikhanouskaya called on the international community to maintain pressure on Lukashenko’s regime, warning that Belarus’s growing dependence on Russia threatens European security. With thousands imprisoned for political dissent, Belarus remains one of Europe’s most repressive states. Tsikhanouskaya urged unity, stressing that "freedom for Belarus is still possible."
(Newseria)
