Tsikhanouskaya: Release of Political Prisoners Must Be Accompanied by an End to Repression

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Igrzyska Wolności (“Freedom Games”) ideas festival in Łódź, Poland, on October 25. The discussion focused on the release of political prisoners in Belarus, support for Belarusians in Poland and the country’s independence.

In a conversation with journalist Agnieszka Lichnerowicz and festival attendees, Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the release of political prisoners must be accompanied by an end to repression. She said new arrests must not become a means of securing further concessions. Participants also discussed the importance of Belarusian independence for regional security and the everyday challenges faced by Belarusians in Poland, including difficulties with documents and bank accounts. Preserving Belarusian culture was another topic.

Tsikhanouskaya also spoke about her experience in politics over the past six years. She compared the period to a university course in which she had to learn about politics from scratch.

She recalled one of her first meetings with Donald Tusk, who was not yet Poland’s prime minister at the time.

“Of course, these six years were like a university for me, and I had to learn about politics from scratch. Perhaps I was lucky because I had the best teachers in the world. My teachers were presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and the best diplomats. And, you know, I realised that politicians are ordinary people, too.

I remember meeting Prime Minister Tusk for the first time — he was not prime minister at the time. I met him at the European People’s Party office, and he was so humane! I was so frightened then; I didn’t know how to behave… It was a completely unfamiliar world of politics. I was simply thrown into this ocean and told, ‘Swim.’ I remember Donald Tusk’s kindness, and it inspired me to become more confident,” the politician said.

The Igrzyska Wolności festival is organised by the Polish Liberté! Foundation. It brings together politicians, journalists, researchers and cultural figures to discuss democracy and the future of society.