A Lithuanian citizen has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in Belarus for "espionage"

A court in Belarus has sentenced Lithuanian citizen Myroslav Trotsky to 15 years in prison on espionage charges. 

This was reported by the Lithuanian media outlet LRT.

The man was detained in the fall of 2024 during a routine visit to his relatives and fiancée, who is a Belarusian citizen. The official verdict was announced on March 11, 2026, prompting a sharp reaction from Vilnius and the international community.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė called the arrest unfounded and warned citizens of the dangers of staying in Belarus, where no one can feel safe. She noted that the Lithuanian government, together with its strategic partners, is making efforts to secure the detainee’s release. According to the head of government, Lithuania has fulfilled its part of the obligations in the dialogue with Minsk and now expects corresponding steps from the Belarusian side.

The Trotsky case is viewed as yet another example of the Belarusian regime using hostages to exert political pressure on EU and NATO countries. Against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine and Belarus’s active support for the aggressor, relations between Vilnius and Minsk remain critically strained. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has once again urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to the neighboring country due to the high risk of provocations and unlawful detentions. Consultations are currently underway regarding possible mechanisms for the convict’s return to his homeland.

Earlier, the U.S. and Lukashenko agreedon the release of more than 250 Belarusian political prisoners.

Recall that Lukashenkoannounced a “major deal” with the U.S. at Trump’s suggestion.