Sergey Tihanovski is a Belarusian political prisoner, video-blogger and activist. He became known in 2019 after launching the YouTube channel Country for Life, where he amplified the voices of ordinary Belarusians and exposed social injustice, quickly turning into one of the most influential grassroots critics of the regime.
In May 2020 he announced his intention to run for president against Alexander Lukashenko but was arrested just two days later, which blocked his candidacy. His wife, Sviatlana Tikhanouskaya, then entered the race and became the leading opposition candidate. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, recognized Tihanovski as a prisoner of conscience, condemning his arrest as politically motivated.
In December 2021 he was sentenced to 18 years in prison on fabricated charges of organizing mass riots and inciting social hatred. His detention was marked by extreme isolation, denial of contact with his family, and harsh conditions he described as torture.
On June 21, 2025, after nearly five years in prison, Tihanovski was unexpectedly pardoned and released together with other political prisoners. He was reunited with his wife in Lithuania, where he continues to symbolize the struggle of Belarusians for freedom and dignity.