Name Of American Citizen Released From Belarusian Prison Revealed

• 19.02.2025, 11:31

He also has Ukrainian citizenship.

The US citizen released on February 12 in Belarus is 56-year-old Nikolai Shugayev, who also has Ukrainian citizenship, the Dozhd TV channel reported.

It is noted that Shugayev lived in Belarus with his son and wife, who wrote a denunciation of him after their relationship deteriorated.

The man said in an interview with Dozhd that he was brutally detained in June 2024 for subscribing to media resources recognized as “extremist”. He was also accused of illegal picketing: he had the Ukrainian flag on his Telegram avatar. As a result, Shugayev served 15-day administrative arrest four times.

“They ask: why do you have George Orwell's book “1984” on your windowsill? I say: “What do you mean, why? I read.” When they searched, they even confiscated this book. I had two flags hanging on the wall in my apartment — American and Ukrainian. They also confiscated the flags,” said Shugaev.

Then a case was opened against him under Article 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the president) and he was transferred to the KGB pre-trial detention center.

Shugaev said that he was asked whether he worked for the intelligence services of the USA, Great Britain, Ukraine, or whether he was involved in recruitment.

According to Shugaev, when he was taken out of the pre-trial detention center on February 12 with a bag over his head, he “said goodbye to life.”

The former prisoner is currently in a clinic in Texas, undergoing rehabilitation. In five months in captivity, he lost 20 kg, his eyesight has deteriorated, and there is a suspicion of tuberculosis.