Who Is Syarhey Tsikhanouski And Why Is Belarus Jailing Him For 18 Years?
- By Ray Furlong
Popular video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, who once intended to run for president against Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a court in Homel on December 14. Tsikhanouski is also the husband of opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya. His conviction, along with five others, on a variety of charges and their harsh punishments are widely seen as politically motivated. We take a deeper look at Tsikhanouski and what he means to the country's opposition.