WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 18, 2025) — The McCain Institute at Arizona State University applauds the release of Maria Kalesnikava and 122 political prisoners in Belarus on December 13, 2025. Kalesnikava’s detention was one of the inaugural cases of the John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI).
The McCain Institute collaborated closely with Kalesnikava’s family, international civil society partners including Amnesty International and Freedom House, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers including U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.-02), as well as Senators John Curtis (R-Utah) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Among other activities, we worked with with Congressman Cohen’s office to send a letter directly to Maria in prison, and supported a bipartisan, bicameral letter advocating for political prisoners in Belarus. This work was crucial in helping sustain global attention on Kalesnikava’s case and broader repression in Belarus.
“Maria Kalesnikava’s release reflects extraordinary courage by her family, relentless advocacy by Belarusian civil society, and sustained, bipartisan engagement by partners in Congress and civil society,” said FPPI Director at the McCain Institute Pedro Pizano. “Seeing two of our first four priority cases result in releases – Edan Alexander and now Maria Kalesnikava –marks a significant moment in the FPPI’s first year of operations. At the same time, the revolving door of repression and imprisonment in Belarus continues, and far too many political prisoners remain behind bars. Our work will continue until all are free.”
A Belarusian political leader, cultural advocate, and symbol of peaceful resistance, Kalesnikava embodies the courage and resilience of those fighting for democracy and human rights. In 2020, she emerged as a key figure in Belarus’s pro-democracy movement following the fraudulent presidential election that secured Alexander Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule. In September 2020, she was forcibly detained. Following a sham trial in 2021, she was sentenced to 11 years in prison on politically motivated charges. While in prison, she was subjected to severe mistreatment, including isolation, denial of family contact, and inadequate medical care. She faced starvation and psychological torture, yet her spirit remained unbroken.
Kalesnikava’s case has been a priority for FPPI since the Initiative’s launch in February 2025. FPPI Board Chairman Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Inaugural FPPI Senior Distinguished Fellow Ambassador Roger Carstens have tirelessly supported the McCain Institute’s work on political prisoner advocacy and release efforts. Other priority cases include:
- Mzia Amaghlobeli (Georgia)
- Ahmadreza Djalali (Iran)
- Alexei Gorinov (Russia)
- Jesús Alexander Armas Monasterios (Venezuela)
- Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong)
- Kidnapped Ukrainian children
To learn more about Maria Kalesnikava’s case, click HERE.