Exiled Belarusian opposition leader says she hasn’t heard from her jailed husband in more than 400 days

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ exiled opposition leader said Thursday that she has not heard from her jailed husband in 421 days.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said that keeping her husband incommunicado is part of the government’s repressive policy.

Siarhei Tsikhanouski has been behind bars since he was arrested in 2020 after announcing plans to challenge Belarusian authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in a vote that year. After Tsikhanouski was arrested, his wife stood in his place as the main opposition candidate, but was forced by authorities to leave the country after the elections.