Belarusian President-elect Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called the appointment of John Coale as Special Envoy for Belarus a sign that Belarus and its political prisoners remain in the focus of attention of the United States.
“U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated John Coale as Special Envoy for Belarus. This is an important and encouraging step — a sign that Belarus and our political prisoners remain in the focus of attention of the United States.
I want to thank President Trump for this decision and for all his efforts to free people. In just the past few months, thanks to his team, nearly 100 Belarusian political hostages have been released. Behind this figure are real people — their families, their pain, and their waiting. And now we are expecting more releases.
Together with John Coale and his team, we have been working for several months to bring our people home, to stop the repressions, and to give hope to those who are still behind bars. We appreciate these efforts and will do everything to see everyone free as soon as possible.
A couple of months ago, together with Mr. Coale at the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius, we welcomed released hostages. They had endured years of isolation and torture. It was a deeply emotional meeting — tears, smiles, and embraces.
We will continue, together with our partners, to seek the release of all political prisoners and genuine changes in Belarus.
Belarus will be free. And everyone who is in captivity today will return home,” the press service of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in a statement.