Belarus Frees Catholic Journalist Ihar Losik After U.S. Appeal

Belarus freed journalist Ihar Losik after five years in prison; reunited with family in Lithuania, justice served.

Belarus has released Ihar Losik, a prominent journalist and practicing Catholic who had been serving a 15-year sentence on politically motivated charges since 2020. His release on September 11, 2025, came as part of a broader move that freed 52 political prisoners and followed negotiations linked to U.S. sanctions relief.

Losik, 33, was arrested in June 2020 during the crackdown ahead of Belarus’s disputed presidential election. Convicted of “incitement” and “preparing to participate in riots,” he was subjected to isolation, harsh treatment, and prolonged separation from his wife and young daughter. In 2021, he appealed directly to Pope Francis to raise his case, underscoring both his faith and the role of the Catholic Church in defending human rights.

The release was reportedly secured after Donald Trump personally intervened with President Alexander Lukashenko, part of a deal that saw the United States ease restrictions on Minsk. Losik was transferred to Lithuania, where he reunited with his younger brother Mikita, who had fled Belarus to avoid arrest. The timeline for his reunion with his wife and daughter remains uncertain.

Press freedom groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, welcomed Losik’s release as a significant step but stressed that many journalists remain imprisoned in Belarus. His case illustrates the severe risks faced by media workers and religious minorities under Lukashenko’s regime, where journalism is treated as a crime and dissent equated with extremism.

While Losik’s freedom is celebrated, the conditions of his release underscore the broader geopolitical stakes — where human lives and fundamental rights are entangled in diplomatic bargains. Rights advocates warn that without structural reforms, repression could continue, and dozens of journalists remain behind bars.

For now, Losik’s case stands as a rare breakthrough: a moment of justice achieved through international advocacy, faith, and persistence, even as the struggle for press freedom in Belarus continues.

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