US Edition
Published • loading... • Updated
Lukashenko Pardons Political Prisoners Amid U.S. Pressure
Belarusian President Lukashenko pardoned 15 political prisoners, including 11 women, after U.S. sanctions on Belarusian potash were lifted, amid ongoing diplomatic pressure.
- On March 5, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 15 people serving sentences for "extremist" offences, including 11 women, and freed three people convicted of other crimes.
- Sanctions relief for Belarusian potash accompanied earlier prisoner releases after U.S. President Donald Trump last year urged Lukashenko to free political prisoners, prompting a series of releases including 123 secured by envoy John Coale.
- Viasna reported that 1,140 political prisoners remain behind bars and those pardoned this week raise cumulative releases to more than 140, while Aleh Khamenka received a three-year sentence.
- Hailed on X by U.S. envoy John Coale, the release drew diplomatic praise, but Tatsyana Nyadbay, head of PEN Belarus, condemned it as 'horrendous' because it 'puts the writers who remain in Belarus at risk.'
- Long shunned by the West since his disputed 2020 reelection, Lukashenko has sought to mend fences with Washington, with PEN Belarus designated extremist and prominent members like Svetlana Alexievich and Bialiatski at risk.
Insights by Ground AI
20 Articles
20 Articles
Belarus leader pardons 18 prisoners in an effort to improve ties with the US
Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 18 more prisoners as part of his recent effort at a rapprochement with the United States. Lukashenko pardoned 18 prisoners in a presidential decree announced on Thursday. Among them were 15 people convicted…
Belarus leader Lukashenko pardons 15 people jailed on political charges
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday pardoned 15 people imprisoned on political charges, the latest in a series of releases that U.S. President Donald Trump has urged him to make.
·United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Associated Press News+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
Belarus leader pardons 18 prisoners in an effort to improve ties with US
Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 18 more prisoners as part of his recent effort at a rapprochement with the United States.
·United States
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources20
Leaning Left7Leaning Right2Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution58% Left
Bias Distribution
- 58% of the sources lean Left
58% Left
L 58%
C 25%
R 17%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
