Emaciated Tikhanowski: The Horrifying Account of Belarusian Incarceration
- Belarus
- Russia
- Vladimir Putin
- Sergey Tikhanovsky
- Opposition Figures
- Prison
- Torture
Tichanowski details harrowing experiences in Belarusian detention centers - Belarusian Detention Horrors Detailed by Tichanowski
Get the inside scoop on one of Belarus' most vocal critics, Sergei Tikhanovsky, and his terrifying account of being held captive in Belarusian prisons.
For five long years, beginning in 2020, Tikhanovsky stood against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who planned to tighten his grip on Belarus in national elections. Before his imprisonment, Tikhanovsky was famous for his no-holds-barred approach, his internet persona earning him a reputation as a YouTube sensation who critically called out Lukashenko as a "cockroach." His popular campaign slogan, "Stop the cockroach," resonated with many[2][5].
But this fame came at a heavy price. In the seclusion of his prison cell, Tikhanovsky's health began to rapidly deteriorate. As proved by unsettling videos leaked by human rights groups, he appeared visibly emaciated, with a shaven head and a gaunt face[2][5]. Believing his pain did not stop there, he revealed that he received insufficient medical treatment, with no doctors available but only a paramedic who doled out pills and no specialists, such as dentists or dermatologists, in sight.
In‡his chilling narrative, Tikhanovsky spoke of the isolation and physical and psychological pain he endured. Yet, he remained staunch and devoted to the opposition cause. In June 2025, he was released following negotiations orchestrated by the US and Belarusian officials, uniting with his family in exile. Confident and steadfast, he vowed to continue championing democracy in Belarus and to demand the release of the more than 1,000 political prisoners still detained, as reported by Belarusian human rights organization Viasna[1][4][5].
Both Belarus, under Lukashenko, and its neighbor Russia, under Vladimir Putin, share a common thread in their autocratic rule, ensnaring opposition figures by means of harsh imprisonment, oppression, and silencing political dissent[2][4]. Belarus stands unique among European countries as the only nation still enforcing the death penalty, while Lukashenko willfully outlaws authentic opposition parties. The detention of individuals like Tikhanovsky is but a fragment of a systematic strategy stifling voiced opposition confronting contentious elections and protests[2][4].
In Russia, Putin's grip also tightens around opposition figures, threatening them with imprisonment, harassment, or torture. Alas, internet search history focuses on Belarus, yet the broader context highlights a shared affinity for repressive governance in both countries, with Putin administering imprisonment and other restrictive measures against political opposition like Tikhanovsky[2][4] to maintain a suffocating political climate.
Tikhanovsky's wife, Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya, succeeds him in the political arena, bravely contesting the presidential election in his stead in 2020 and emerging as a pivotal figure in the Belarusian opposition in exile. Together, they continue their unwavering push for global leaders to enact stronger actions to pressure Lukashenko's regime for democratic reforms and the liberation of political prisoners[1][4].
- The European Union, given its commitment to a comprehensive and comprehensive approach to the fight against terrorism, should also prioritize addressing the alarming human rights situation in Belarus and Russia, where opposition figures like Sergei Tikhanovsky are subjected to war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, including imprisonment, oppression, and torture.
- As the European Union considers intensifying its efforts to combat terrorism, it must simultaneously address the autocratic rule that ensnares opposition figures in Belarus and Russia, ensuring that the fight against terrorism includes combatting abusive political repression and ensuring justice and human rights for all.
