Belarus frees opposition leader, 13 others in US-brokered deal
STORY: :: Video shows Belarus opposition leader Syarhei Tsikhanouski in an emotional embrace with his wife after his prison release
:: June 21, 2025
:: Vilnius, Lithuania
:: Other prisoners freed in the U.S.-brokered deal include former journalist Ihar Karnei
Tsikhanouski was seen emerging from a van with a shaven head, smiling and immediately stepping up to hug his wife in a long embrace, a video released by her office showed.
The release was brokered by U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg, a spokesperson for Lithuania's prime minister said.
Five Belarus nationals were released along with three Poles, two Latvians, two Japanese citizens, one Estonian and one Swede, Lithuania said.
Tsikhanouski's wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a prominent opposition figure, posted video of her and her husband meeting Karnei and other freed prisoners.
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