Mikola Statkevich, a prominent opposition figure in Belarus, has been released from prison. He had previously declined to accept exile as part of a US-brokated prisoner exchange that occurred last year.
Statkevich, aged 69, is now reportedly at home and recuperating from a stroke that has impacted his speech, according to his wife, Marina Adamovich.
His imprisonment followed a sentence of 14 years. He had served more than five years behind bars after being convicted of organizing what the Belarusian authorities described as “mass riots” during 2020 and 2021. Statkevich had previously vied unsuccessfully for the presidency against Alexander Lukashenko in the 2010 election.
Human rights organizations estimate that over 1,000 political prisoners continue to be held in Belarus.
“He is home and recovering,” Adamovich stated on Thursday. “I sincerely hope for his full recovery. The primary challenge right now is his speech. It is impaired, making conversations difficult.”
In response to the news, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a Belarusian leader living in exile, expressed relief. “I am glad that Statkevich is free and can now embrace his wife, who has waited for him for such a long time,” she commented. Tikhanovskaya also conveyed her gratitude to “everyone who continues to fight for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus. We must persevere until every single one is free,” she added in a statement on X.
Statkevich was among a group of 52 individuals released from Belarusian custody last year. This release followed an appeal made by former US President Donald Trump. The individuals had been imprisoned in 2020-2021, a period marked by a severe crackdown on protests by Lukashenko following his declaration of victory in presidential elections that faced widespread international condemnation as fraudulent.
While the majority of these prisoners agreed to leave Belarus for exile abroad, Statkevich was the sole individual who refused to depart the country.
As part of the agreement for the prisoner release, the United States committed to easing certain sanctions targeting the Belarusian airline Belavia. This relaxation of sanctions would permit the airline to procure necessary parts for its aircraft.
Belarus maintains close ties with Russia, a nation that initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Alexander Lukashenko has held power in Belarus since 1994, consistently suppressing any form of opposition.