OSCE Chief Visits Belarus, First in Seven Years

Feridun Sinirlioglu, secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), visited Belarus on Tuesday, marking the first trip by the group's chief to the country in seven years. The visit comes as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko seeks to normalize relations with the West.

Sinirlioglu met with Lukashenko and attended an international security conference. He acknowledged Belarus's role in facilitating prisoner-of-war exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Lukashenko, however, criticized the OSCE for its perceived pro-Western stance and what he described as unfair criticism of elections in Belarus and Russia.

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has faced years of Western isolation and sanctions. These sanctions were imposed due to its human rights record and its decision to allow Moscow to use its territory to support the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In exile, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya stated that Sinirlioglu's meeting with Lukashenko was an "undeserved political reward" for the president. She argued that high-level visits without concrete changes only strengthen Lukashenko's regime and foster a sense of impunity. Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that engagement should result in the release of political prisoners, an end to repression, and a withdrawal of support for Russian aggression, rather than granting the regime international legitimacy.

Lukashenko's leadership has been challenged since the 2020 presidential election, which led to widespread protests against alleged vote rigging. A subsequent crackdown resulted in tens of thousands of detentions and numerous arrests of opposition figures. In recent years, Lukashenko has released hundreds of political prisoners through U.S.-mediated deals, which have also led to the lifting of some U.S. sanctions. These agreements were part of his broader efforts to overcome isolation and mend ties with Western countries. Despite these releases, hundreds of political prisoners remain in custody in Belarus.