The first days of freedom: 25 Belarusian political prisoners in exile
On September 16, 25 Belarusian political prisoners were released after spending years behind bars. Instead of returning to their homes, they were forcibly expelled from Belarus and taken to Lithuania. They spent their first hours of freedom in a shelter in Vilnius.
On September 16, 25 Belarusian political prisoners were released after spending years behind bars. Instead of returning to their homes, they were forcibly expelled from Belarus and taken to Lithuania. They spent their first hours of freedom in a shelter in Vilnius.
The released prisoners are forced to leave Belarus and begin their lives in exile. LIBERECO and Viasna have responded with an emergency support programme to help them after their arrival. The first days in exile can be particularly difficult: many of those released initially have no accommodation, financial resources or access to medical, legal and psychological support. Our programme helps provide immediate assistance and supports former political prisoners as they begin rebuilding their lives in safety.
The group included journalists, cultural workers, social activists, researchers and musicians. Their release followed closed negotiations between U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy John Coale and Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
For those released, freedom came together with forced exile. After years behind bars, they now have to begin rebuilding their lives away from home.
In the first hours after their release, former political prisoners spoke about their experiences, their health, their loved ones and the reality of suddenly being free. The Human Rights Center Viasna collected their first words after their release.
Liudmila Chekina, former CEO of TUT.BY, said:
I still don’t believe that what is happening is real. My emotions are so intense that even the sky looks different. I want to say that the most important thing for us is that all our girls and boys, our friends, be released as soon as possible. It’s very difficult to live behind bars. It’s like being buried alive. Our parents died, and we couldn’t attend their funerals. Our children were growing up without us. And now there are girls there who have young children, who have elderly parents who need care. And now is not the time to wage wars, now is the time for negotiations. I want to say a huge thank you to those people who participated in these negotiations. I know that they are continuing. They are very difficult — as, probably, any negotiations. I want to say a big thank you and acknowledge the bravery of these people, because a strong person is not the one who fights, but the one who knows how to negotiate.
Pavel Belavus, cultural manager, founder and former director of Art-Siadziba and creator of Symbal.by, spoke about his family:
I talked to my wife and children at the border. They let me talk. Now I will wait for the meeting […].
I need a check-up. It was difficult. The circumstances were different. The places were different. The work was hard, but mostly it was okay. Today, on the road, it felt like these five years had flown by like a day. But that’s today. We’ll see where it’s going.
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Dzmitry Navazhylau, former director of the BelaPAN news agency, described his first hours of freedom:
It feels incredible because everything was very unexpected. Sleepless night, transfers… It’s a great pleasure to be free, I must say. Five years and one month. I just need to accept the new reality, realize where I am and what is happening with me, and then with some sober thoughts I will be able to tell you something. We are still in a slightly dizzy state of euphoria, so thank you all.
Alena Lazarchyk, an activist of European Belarus, said:
Thank you to everyone who is fighting for us. I hope for the speedy release of the rest of the people. Long live Belarus!
The quotes were collected and published by the Human Rights Center Viasna on September 16, 2026.
The release of 25 political prisoners has brought freedom to those who are now outside Belarus, but many people remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges. For those who have been released, however, freedom also means starting over in exile.
LIBERECO and Viasna continue to provide practical support during this difficult transition. This includes arranging accommodation and basic assistance after arrival, medical care for health problems resulting from imprisonment, trauma therapy and psycho-social support, as well as legal assistance with asylum and residence procedures. The aim is to ensure that people who have spent years in prison are not left alone when they finally reach freedom.