Ivan Kravtsov, who helped to organise Babariko's presidential bid, told Reuters it was the first glimpse of the former banker and politician since all visits, phone calls and correspondence with him were severed in April 2022.

Viktor Babaryko was arrested in 2020 after challenging authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko at the polls.

Photos and a video of Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on Jan. 8 after the jailed Belarusian opposition leader was held incommunicado since February 2023.