US senators visit Cichanoŭskaja office before NATO summit

July 11, BPN. Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja met with US senators in Vilnius yesterday to discuss international efforts to secure the release of Belarus’ political prisoners and safeguard the country’s independence.

Jeanne Shaheen, co-chair of the Free Belarus Caucus, Richard Durbin, Thom Tillis, Pete Ricketts, Dan Sullivan and Angus King visited the Belarusian opposition leader’s office one day before the NATO summit scheduled for July 11 and 12.

Cichanoŭskaja urged the senators to work toward the appointment of a special envoy for Belarus, consider the adoption of a new Belarus Democracy Act, back a resolution denouncing Russia’s decision to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, and support independent journalists and imprisoned human rights activists.

The senators promised to bring up the issue of Belarus during the summit, Cichanoŭskaja’s press office reported.

The former presidential candidate informed the senators about her camp’s recent efforts to hold the Belarusian regime accountable for crimes against humanity, reprisals against political opponents and complicity in Russia’s assault on Ukraine.