Lukashenko claims that he himself decided to release the "pro-Russian" Tikhanovsky
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned the husband of the self-proclaimed "President of Belarus" Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on his own initiative, and not at the request of the United States.
He announced this at a ceremonial meeting dedicated to Belarus's Independence Day, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"I personally released him. The Americans didn't ask for it. They consider him pro-Russian. It will be difficult for him to get away with it. We are still keeping quiet. We have enough facts. God bless them, let them live. We do not interfere in their family life. I have categorically forbidden people who know anything. And he is shouting: if Trump says even one word, he will release all political prisoners. As soon as Trump dares to say even one word, all negotiations with the Americans will cease," Lukashenko said.
According to him, the Americans promised him that Sergei Tikhanovsky would not make political statements to the media.
"He was crying there recently. Well, he was crying. And we know where these sobs came from. We know who prepared him for this speech at night. We must give them credit, the Americans promised me: you will let them go, they will not slander you or the country. No one will speak in the media. They just let him out of the minibus in Lithuania, a statement in the morning. And we know how they prepared them at night: you will speak here, and cry there," Lukashenko said.
Lukashenko claims he decided to release the "pro-Russian" Tikhanovsky himself.