Belarusian Opposition Leader in Washington to Meet With US Officials

In an interview Sunday with Voice of America, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition, said she came to Washington at the invitation of the U.S. State Department for a series of meetings with high-ranking U.S. government officials. She said her focus would be on the worsening human rights situation in Belarus as well as the escalation of violence by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.

She would not confirm whether she would be meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. Since the August 2020 Belarusian presidential elections, Tsikhanouskaya, 38, a candidate, was forced to flee to neighboring Lithuanian where she lives with her children. Her husband, who she communicates with in letters, has been in prison for 14 months on charges of violating public order, inciting hatred and plotting mass disturbance, charges he denies. Tsikhanouskaya’s discussion with VOA has been edited for clarity.