Statkevich speaks about life under KGB surveillance after his release

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The politician told the outlet about an incident at the Night of Museums in Minsk: during a saxophonist's concert in one of the halls, he and his wife stopped to listen to the music, and after the performance he turned around and saw a crowd of applauding people behind him. 

"We noticed that people were applauding not the musician — but us", — said Statkevich, noting that such displays of solidarity can be dangerous for those who express them.

Speaking about the 2020 protests and the subsequent repression, Statkevich said that today a like or a repost can result in up to ten years in prison, and that entire families are being imprisoned. In his assessment, the repression shows that the authorities fear new protests.

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Responding to a question about the European Union's policy towards Alexander Lukashenko, Statkevich described the sanctions policy as a rational position for the EU, compared to the dialogue policy pursued by the United States. 

At the same time, he spoke out against isolating the Belarusian population itself, emphasising the need to preserve people's ability to travel to EU countries.

Statkevich was initially included in a U.S.-brokered prisoner release on September 11, 2025. But he refused forced exile to Lithuania, stating a leader must remain in their country. He was released on February 19, 2026. Before that, he suffered a stroke in prison.

Mikola Statkevich is one of Belarus’s best-known opposition politicians and a longtime critic of Alexander Lukashenko. A former presidential candidate in the 2010 election, he has repeatedly been imprisoned for his political activities. In total, Statkevich has spent more than 12 years behind bars.