Belarus opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski freed from jail
A top Belarus opposition leader, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, has been released from jail after being pardoned, Belarusian human rights group Viasna said on Saturday, June 21. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who took over the opposition cause after his jailing, shared a video of him smiling and embracing her after his release with the caption: "FREE." Tsikhanouski, 46, had been imprisoned for more than five years.
Tsikhanouskaya said that officials from the United States had helped secure her husband's release. "It's hard to describe the joy in my heart," she said in a post on X, thanking US President Donald Trump, US envoy Keith Kellogg and European allies.
Tsikhanouski had planned to run against incumbent Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election, but was arrested and detained weeks before the vote. His wife, Sviatlana, a political novice at the time of his arrest, took his place in the polls. He was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison for "organizing riots" and "inciting hatred" and then to 18 months extra for "insubordination."
Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed all opposition movements and is the only European country to retain the death penalty as a punishment. There are more than 1,000 political prisoners in the country, according to Viasna.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the release came just hours after Belarusian authorities announced that Lukashenko met with Trump's envoy Kellogg in Minsk.
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France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
South Korea counts on shipbuilding to ease US tariff woes
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France 24
13 hours ago
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Euronews
15 hours ago
- Euronews
'Iran didn't want a result' - Was Iran just playing with Wadephul?
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Iran requires 'Israeli aggression to stop' for further talks "There is no room for negotiations with us until Israeli aggression stops," said Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi. Iran's ambassador to the UN, Ali Bahreini, told Euronews that Iran would present "points" in Geneva that would show Europe's "failure" in the conflict. Europe should stop supporting Israel, he added. Huge pressure on Tehran before the talks The pressure on Tehran increased before the meeting. Following the recent Iranian missile attacks, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said: "A dictator like Khamenei, who is at the head of a country like Iran and has made the destruction of Israel his mission, must not be allowed to continue to exist". Although political experts predicted "no breakthrough" from the outset, expectations rose due to US President Donald Trump leaving a window of opportunity open for possible de-escalation. He wants to make a decision within "two weeks" as to whether the US will intervene in the conflict alongside Israel. At the same time, Israel declared that they would be able to destroy deeply bunkered facilities militarily without the US - one of these bunkers is home to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Wadephul's Iran meeting ends without result After four hours of negotiations, Foreign Minister Wadphul said: "The good result today is that we left the room with the impression that the Iranian side is basically prepared to continue talking about all important issues". He added that it was important for the US to be involved in further negotiations and a solution. Iran's foreign minister hints at halting negotiations Following the Geneva meeting, the Iranian foreign minister said: "We support the continuation of talks with the three European countries and the European Union," said Foreign Minister Araghchi. "But as long as Israel's attacks continue, we will not negotiate with ANY party." In an interview with Euronews, political observer Carsten Ovens, head of the European Leadership Network (ELNET), summarises the outcome as follows: "Foreign Minister Wadephul's efforts are important," Ovens said. "However, Iran was clearly not interested in a result." Did Iran "play" with the West in Geneva? Ovens adds: "The talks in Geneva make it clear: Iran is playing with the West and wants to stall for time." He goes on to say that Iran is "continuing its efforts to develop offensive weapons to destroy the state of Israel and this devalues the diplomatic efforts of the past ten years." The Iranian regime has "repeatedly undermined the 2015 nuclear agreement and continuously expanded its nuclear capabilities as well as its ballistic missile programme", according to the Middle East expert. "The EU's adherence to the nuclear agreement was wrong" German-Iranian FDP politician Bijan Djir-Sarai told Euronews that the negotiations were hopeless from the outset. "Without the USA and Israel, the EU's negotiations are irrelevant," said the foreign policy expert. IDjir-Sarai believes that it is no longer possible to rely on old strategies such as nuclear treaties and that there needs to be a political rethink. "The EU's adherence to the nuclear agreement was wrong. A new strategy in dealing with the regime is necessary," he said. Ovens: "Iran threatens the region and Europe too" The head of the European Leadership Network is convinced that Iran will not stop increasing its nuclear capabilities. Ovens warns: "A nuclear-armed Iran poses an immediate and existential threat - for the region as well as for Europe." For some political observers, the German initiative for talks with Iran came as a surprise. A few days ago, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said that Israel was doing the "dirty work" for everyone with its military action against the Iranian regime. "Otherwise we might have seen months and years more of this regime's terror and then possibly with a nuclear weapon in their hands," said Chancellor Merz. On Thursday, Chancellor Merz then announced: "I support the intensive efforts of Foreign Minister Wadephul. Iran is called upon to negotiate an agreement quickly. We want to make our diplomatic contribution to this." Wadephul's Iran mission also caused irritation in the CDU/CSU's own ranks. This is because the CDU and CSU are divided on the extent to which negotiations with Iran on its nuclear programmes make sense. Many in the CDU in particular assume that Iran is continuing to build nuclear weapons in underground facilities despite official agreements. What's more, many in the CDU/CSU consider the nuclear agreement with the Iranian regime to be a "sham". CDU member of the Bundestag Roderich Kiesewetter criticised the agreement to Phoenix: "What are we negotiating about? The regime has the destruction of Israel as its state doctrine and is continuing to build a nuclear bomb. Instead of nuclear negotiations, Israel's actions should be "politically supported". CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen expresses a similar sentiment. He said: "The rulers in Tehran have led Europe around by the nose for years. The nuclear negotiations were not a way to find a solution, but a means of gaining time, building up pressure and obtaining concessions."
