Belarus opposition couple to keep fighting for release of political prisoners

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS (Reuters) -A leading Belarusian opposition figure freed from prison by President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sunday his wife would continue to lead the exiled movement, and urged supporters to keep fighting for change and the release of political prisoners.

In a U.S.-brokered deal, Siarhei Tsikhanouski was pardoned by Lukashenko on Saturday after more than five years behind bars and driven across the border to Lithuania for a reunion with his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

"He's alive, thank God we are together, and together we continue our fight for our homeland and the freedom of the rest of the political prisoners," Tsikhanouskaya told a press conference in Vilnius on Sunday.

"I want to thank (U.S. President Donald) Trump and his administration. Without their help, this moment would have been impossible," she said.

Lithuania said on Saturday 13 other prisoners had also been released after talks between Lukashenko and U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg, in the most significant move so far by Lukashenko to try to ease his isolation from the West.

Tsikhanouski, 46, a video blogger who was arrested in 2020 when planning to run against Lukashenko for the presidency, called on Belarusians to carry on fighting against the president.

"I want to tell all Belarusians: if you were waiting for a sign, here it is," he said, raising a fist.

But Tsikhanouski added that he would not seek to become leader of the exiled movement following his release.

"The leader of the opposition is Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, my wife," he said, breaking into tears as he described how their young daughter had not recognised him when they were reunited on Saturday.

"Now (the children) are getting used to the feeling that their father is here again," Tsikhanouskaya said.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas;Editing by Terje Solsvik and Helen Popper)