Imprisoned Trade Union Hero and Svensson Prize Laureate Released

Yarashuk, to the left, smiles after being released Photo: Private

“We received the joyful news last night that Aliaks

andr Yarashuk has been released, and we’ve been waiting anxiously to have it confirmed,” said Frode Alfheim, President of the Union Strength Federation and Chair of the Arthur Svensson Prize Committee.

By: Egil Brandsøy

Aliaksandr Yarashuk, the imprisoned trade union leader from Belarus and recipient of the 2025 Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights, has finally been freed.

He had been imprisoned since April 2022 for his peaceful efforts to defend fundamental rights and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Yesterday, Yarashuk was released along with 51 other prisoners as part of an agreement between Belarus and the United States. According to Reuters, the group—which includes several foreign nationals—has traveled to Lithuania with an American delegation.

“When we awarded Yarashuk the Arthur Svensson Prize this summer, it was with the hope of keeping his case alive. Now he is out of prison, and his struggle has inspired—and will continue to inspire—the global labour movement,” said Alfheim.

The 2025 Arthur Svensson Prize received on behalf of then imprisoned Aliaksandr Yarashuk by his son, Yury. Photo: Egil Brandsøy

A Voice the Regime Could Never Silence

Yarashuk is the President of BKDP, the national centre for independent trade unions in Belarus, Vice President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and a board member of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Following the peaceful protests in 2020, the regime responded with brutal repression. More than 40 trade union leaders were imprisoned, and all independent unions were banned.

“He is in prison because he believes in justice. It’s a symbol of how far authoritarian regimes will go to crush freedom and silence voices that challenge their power,” said Lizaveta Merliak, leader of the exile-based organization Salidarnast, during the award ceremony in Oslo in June.

Yarashuk's son, Yury and Lizaveta Merliak Photo: Egil Brandsøy

Family Kept Hope Alive

At the ceremony in Oslo this summer, Yarashuk’s son, Yury Yarashuk, accepted the prize on behalf of his father. He described him as a tireless fighter.

“My father is my hero. Even now, after all he has endured, I know he would do it all again. He would stand with his comrades—as a brother and a friend,” said Yury.

Yury and his father, Aliaksandr Yarashuk Photo: Private

He also emphasized what the recognition meant to the family.

“This prize is an important acknowledgment of all he has sacrificed. My father has dedicated his life to the fight for workers’ rights and human dignity in Belarus.”

Solidarity That Makes a Difference

The Union Strength Federation has for years been a strong voice for imprisoned trade union leaders in Belarus. The Arthur Svensson Prize awarded to Yarashuk was intended both as support and as pressure on the regime.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has also welcomed the release. In a statement, they emphasized that this is a positive step, but reminded the world that many trade union comrades remain behind bars.

“Even as we celebrate today, many trade union leaders are still imprisoned in Belarus. The struggle is not over,” said Frode Alfheim.

Frode Alfheim is the current leader of the Svensson Prize Committee. Photo: Egil Brandsøy