belarus Releases 52 Political Prisoners Following U.S. Delegation Visit
MINSK, Belarus – Belarusian authorities have released 52 political prisoners, including several foreigners, in a move that follows a visit by a U.S. delegation led by special envoy Donald Trump. The releases, announced thursday, represent a significant growth amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing crackdowns on dissent within Belarus.
Among those freed are prominent figures such as former presidential candidate Nikolai Statkevich, philosopher Vladimir Matskevich, and a number of self-reliant journalists, according to Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva. however, numerous other critics of President Alexander Lukashenko‘s long-standing rule remain imprisoned, including opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova and human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski, a co-recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
The release of Syarhei Tsikhanouski, a key opposition figure, occurred hours after the U.S. delegation met with lukashenko. Despite the prisoner release, the Belarusian government continues to suppress dissent, issuing prison sentences for actions as minor as critical social media posts.A Russian prisoner held on politically motivated charges also died in custody this week under unclear circumstances.
The move comes at a notably sensitive time, following Poland’s downing of suspected Russian drones over its territory and ahead of the Zapad joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus.Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that some of the drones violating Polish airspace originated from Belarusian territory, a claim Belarus’s chief of the general staff, Pavel Muraveiko, countered by asserting Minsk had warned Poland and Lithuania of approaching drones and even intercepted some.
Analysts suggest the U.S. decision to ease sanctions signals Lukashenko’s success in navigating a complex geopolitical landscape.”I don’t recall a more schizophrenic moment in Belarusian foreign policy,” said Artyom Shraibman, a non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. “On 10 September, Russian drones crossed the western border in one direction, while a US delegation crossed in the other, bringing news of aviation sanctions being lifted in exchange for political prisoners.”
