Sergey Tihanovski is a Belarusian opposition leader, entrepreneur, and former political prisoner who became one of the key figures in Belarus’s 2020 democratic movement.

Before entering politics, he built successful business projects in Belarus and neighboring countries. Confronted with systemic corruption and the absence of political accountability, he launched his own YouTube channel, which quickly gained popularity for exposing abuses of power and giving ordinary citizens a platform to share their stories publicly. In 2020, after announcing his intention to run in the presidential election against dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, Tihanovski was arrested on fabricated charges to prevent his registration as a candidate. Following the falsified election, mass protests erupted across the country. After his arrest, his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, became a presidential candidate and later gained international recognition as the leader of the democratic opposition.

Tihanovski was sentenced to twenty years in prison and spent nearly five years in harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and complete isolation from the outside world. His imprisonment became a symbol of the regime’s repression and the broader struggle for democratic change in Belarus.

In 2025, he was released following American diplomatic efforts. Today, Tihanovski speaks internationally about the nature of authoritarian power, political transitions, the fragility of regimes built on fear and isolation, and the role individuals can play in challenging systems that appear invincible.