Belarus Releases 52 Political Prisoners as U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Belavia
MINSK, Belarus – Belarus has released 52 political prisoners, a move coinciding with the United States’ decision to lift some sanctions against Belavia, the country’s national airline. The prisoner release and sanctions easing signal a potential shift in relations between Belarus and the west, especially the U.S., following years of strained ties marked by political repression and international condemnation.
The releases come after discussions between former U.S. President Donald trump and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko regarding prisoner releases, and a recent visit to Minsk by Robert Coale, Trump’s former deputy Ukraine envoy. The U.S. had imposed sanctions on Belavia in response to the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight in May 2021, which led to the arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich.Lukashenko has faced widespread international criticism for his relentless crackdown on dissent, particularly following the August 2020 presidential election, which was widely considered rigged. The election sparked the largest protests in Belarus’ history, met with a brutal response from authorities that saw tens of thousands detained, many beaten by police, and prominent opposition figures imprisoned or forced into exile. Lukashenko afterward secured a seventh term in a January 2025 election dismissed by the opposition as a farce.
The sanctions against Belavia had severely impacted the airline’s operations, forcing it to reduce its fleet from 29 to 14 aircraft after being barred from EU airspace and airports. The lifting of U.S.sanctions is expected to allow Belavia to resume a broader range of international flights.