WARSAW: Belarus鈥檚 top jailed opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky was freed alongside over a dozen other political prisoners on Saturday in a surprise release hailed as a 鈥渟ymbol of hope.鈥�

His wife Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who took the mantle of the opposition after his jailing, said the United States helped broker the deal and thanked US President Donald Trump.

Tikhanovsky, 46, had been imprisoned for more than five years.

He planned to run against incumbent Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election, but was arrested and detained weeks before the vote.

Svetlana 鈥� a political novice at the time of his arrest 鈥� took his place in the polls.

She posted a video on Saturday of her embracing Tikhanovsky after his release with the caption: 鈥淔REE.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to describe the joy in my heart,鈥� she said in a post on X.

Thirteen others were released, including Radio Liberty journalist Igor Karnei, who was arrested in 2023 and jailed for participating in an 鈥渆xtremist鈥� organization.

They have now been transferred from Belarus to Lithuania, where they are receiving 鈥減roper care,鈥� Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys said.

The announcement came just hours after Lukashenko met US special envoy Keith Kellogg in Minsk, the highest profile visit of a US official to the authoritarian state in years.

Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed all genuine opposition parties and is the only European country to retain the death penalty as a punishment.

The eastern European country still holds over 1,000 political prisoners in its jails, according to Viasna.

Swedish-Belarusian citizen Galina Krasnyanskaya, arrested in 2023 for allegedly supporting Ukraine, was also freed, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.

The release comes amid a broader warming of relations between the United States and Belarus鈥檚 chief ally Russia under Trump.

Since taking office, the Republican has engaged in direct talks with Vladimir Putin, ending his predecessor鈥檚 policy of isolating the Russian president.

Tikhanovsky was for years held incommunicado, and in 2023 his wife was told that he had 鈥渄ied.鈥�

In a video published by Viasna on Saturday, he appeared almost unrecognizable, his head shaven and face emaciated.

Tikhanovsky was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison for 鈥渙rganizing riots鈥� and 鈥渋nciting hatred鈥� and then to 18 months extra for 鈥渋nsubordination.鈥�

A charismatic activist, Tikhanovsky drew the ire of authorities for describing Lukashenko as a 鈥渃ockroach鈥� and his campaign slogan was 鈥淪top the cockroach.鈥�

Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the 2020 election, a result that sparked massive opposition protests which authorities violently suppressed.

The Belarusian autocrat claimed a record seventh term in elections earlier this year that observers blasted as a farce.

Fellow Belarusian political activists and foreign politicians welcomed the release.

Poland鈥檚 foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the 鈥渇ree world鈥� needed Tikhanovsky.

鈥淢y sincerest joy goes out to you, Tikhanovskaya and your entire family,鈥� he wrote on X.

Former Belarusian culture minister Pavel Latushko, who supported the 2020 protests against Lukashenko, said all those released had been jailed illegally and hailed Tikhanovsky鈥檚 release as an 鈥渋mportant moment.鈥�

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed Tikhanovsky鈥檚 release and called for Belarus to free its other political prisoners.

鈥淭his is fantastic news and a powerful symbol of hope for all the political prisoners suffering under the brutal Lukashenka regime,鈥� she said on X.

Germany鈥檚 Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Tikhanovsky鈥檚 release was 鈥渇antastically good news.鈥�

鈥淎t the same time, we must not forget the many other prisoners in Belarus. Lukashenko must finally release them,鈥� he said on X.