US EditionAmerican detained in Belarus is freed, US official says
- An American named Youras Ziankovich was freed from detention in Minsk, Belarus, as announced by a U.S. official on April 30, 2025.
- Ziankovich was arrested in Moscow in 2021 and taken to Belarus, where authorities accused him of involvement in a U.S.-backed coup attempt against Alexander Lukashenko.
- The U.S. government denied any role in the alleged coup, and Ziankovich lacked access to U.S. officials until January 2025 during his 1,480-day detention.
- Secretary Marco Rubio confirmed the release without naming Ziankovich, posting on X that it occurred “Thanks to @POTUS's leadership,” while advocacy groups like Global Reach supported the case.
- Ziankovich’s release, unconnected to a prisoner swap, resulted from diplomatic efforts and advocacy, highlighting ongoing challenges for U.S. citizens wrongfully detained abroad.
48 Articles
48 Articles
Lukashenko's spokesman confirmed that it was a double citizen Yuri Senkovich. The 47-year-old lawyer and long-standing opposition activist should have served an eleven-year sentence in his home country of Belarus for alleged overthrow and assassination plans.
Belarus Releases U.S. National Jailed Amid Opposition Crackdown
Belarusian authorities said Thursday that they freed an opposition figure and naturalized U.S. citizen jailed for allegedly trying to "seize power" from President Alexander Lukashenko.
American Convicted of Plotting Coup Is Freed by Belarus
An American citizen convicted of plotting against Belarus' president is now free after years behind bars on charges the US government dismissed as fabricated. Belarus on Wednesday released Youras Ziankovich, who was convicted of plotting a coup and the assassination of President Alexander Lukashenko, the AP reports. Secretary of State...
Colorado Springs Gazette
Belarus releases US citizen who was jailed for years
Belarus has released a U.S. citizen who had been jailed on allegations of plotting to assassinate the country’s authoritarian leader, charges his supporters and the U.S. government called bogus. Youras Ziankovich, a lawyer who has dual Belarusian and U.S. citizenship,…
US secures release from Belarus of Minsk-born American, US official says
WASHINGTON - The United States has secured the release from Belarus of an American who was arrested in Moscow and held on coup plot allegations, a senior U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
By Jennifer Hansler, CNN An American detained in Belarus has been released, a US official told CNN Wednesday. Youras Ziankovich was detained in Moscow in 2021 and taken to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, where he was accused of participating in a US-backed coup plot against Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. The US State Department denied any such involvement. There was no prisoner exchange that led to Ziankovich's release, the official who …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 79% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
