Lukashenko frees more than 100 political prisoners, including Babaryka and Kalesnikava
Photo: Alexander Lukashenko (Getty Images)
Self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has announced an amnesty for 123 political prisoners. Among those released are opposition figures Viktar Babaryka and Maria Kalesnikava, according to BELTA and other media outlets.
The press service of the Belarusian leader said that the pardon was granted as part of an agreement with US President Donald Trump. One of the reasons was the lifting of sanctions.
“In connection with the lifting of... sanctions against the potash industry of the Republic of Belarus, imposed by the Biden administration, and in connection with the transition to the practical implementation of the process of lifting other... sanctions against the Republic of Belarus, the head of state has decided to pardon 123 citizens of various countries,” the press service said.
As specified, these are people convicted of espionage, terrorist, and extremist activities.
Lukashenko added that the pardon was granted, in particular, at the request of the heads of other states and in view of humanitarian principles, universal human and family values.
“It is aimed at accelerating the positive dynamics of the development of relations with the partner countries of the Republic of Belarus and in the interests of stabilizing the situation in the European region as a whole,” BELTA writes.
Other media outlets specify that among those released are:
- Belarusian opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava;
- former presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, who received 14 years in prison;
- lawyer and member of Babaryka's election campaign team Maxim Znak;
- 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.
According to BELTA, taking into account the decisions made by Lukashenko at the end of November, the total number of people pardoned recently is 156. Among them are citizens of the UK, the US, Lithuania, Ukraine, Australia, and Japan.
Lukashenko releases political prisoners
Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that five Ukrainian citizens are among the 123 released prisoners. They are currently returning home.
Earlier in November, there was also information that Lukashenko had pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens.
Today was not the first release of Belarusian opposition figures. In June, Lukashenko also pardoned 14 prisoners, including opposition figure Sergei Tikhonovsky.
