The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has granted pardon to 123 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, after the United States lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash export. Bialiatski’s release has been confirmed by the Viasna Human Rights Center, the NGO that he founded and that has been documenting human rights violations in the country for years. Along with him, other figures of Belarusian activism have been released from prison, such as Valiantsin Stefanovich, former vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights, and the lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich.
Music is also among those released Maria Kalesnikava, one of the most visible faces of the protests against Lukashenko after the 2020 presidential elections, marked by widespread allegations of fraud. Likewise, Viasna has confirmed that former presidential candidate Viktor Babariko has also regained freedom.
“In accordance with the agreements reached with US President Donald Trump, and at his request, in connection with the lifting of illegal sanctions against the Belarusian potash industry imposed by the administration of the former US president [Joe] Biden (…) the head of state has decided to pardon 123 citizens of various countries convicted under the laws of the Republic of Belarus for various crimes, including espionage, terrorism and extremist activities,” the Belarusian Presidency noted.
For now, taking into account the decisions taken by the President of Belarus at the end of November, the total number of people pardoned now amounts to 156. Among them are citizens of United Kingdom, United States, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Australia and Japan.
-News flash-
