The name of the American citizen recently freed in Belarus has been revealed.

"Rain" reported that a 56-year-old Nikolai Shugaev, who had been held in Belarusian detention centers for 5 months on political charges, has become a U.S. citizen. The channel cites information from Shugaev himself. He informed the channel that, in addition to his American citizenship, he also holds Ukrainian citizenship. He had been in Belarus since 2020, having traveled there to be with his family and young son.

According to Shugaev, he was detained on September 12, 2024, following a tip-off. In this context, Nikolai noted that he was subscribed on social media to several media outlets banned in Belarus, including NEXTA Live, Radio Free Europe, and "Belsat." Subsequently, he was accused of distributing extremist materials and was sentenced to 13 days in the Novopolotsk detention center. This was followed by three more similar administrative arrests for new offenses.

In this detention center, which the former prisoner described as torturous and where he claimed he was subjected to the "swallow" torture, Nikolai Shugaev spent 56 days before being transferred to the KGB detention center in Minsk, where a criminal case was opened against him for publicly insulting the president, based on a comment made on Instagram. There, he spent an additional three months.

On February 12, Shugaev was released with the assistance of U.S. authorities. He is currently in San Antonio, Texas, at a medical clinic located on a military base, undergoing rehabilitation. During his 5 months in detention, he lost 20 kilograms. The released individual also complains of vision problems. Additionally, as reported by "Rain," Shugaev's test results indicate a suspicion of tuberculosis, which he may have contracted while in detention.

• On February 18, it became known that a group of Nobel Prize laureates appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders, urging them to immediately ensure the release of all political prisoners in Belarus. This is not the first such appeal to Western leaders and the global community. This year, it was published against the backdrop of reports that the Trump administration is negotiating with the Belarusian authorities, which, according to The New York Times, could result in a large-scale release of political prisoners in exchange for easing sanctions.
• Among those held in Belarusian prisons recognized as political prisoners is former journalist of the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe, Igor Karney.