Key facts
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 28 prisoners convicted of extremism.
- The pardons were announced on humanitarian grounds.
- This action is seen as an effort to improve relations with Western countries.
- Hundreds of political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarus.
- The U.N. special rapporteur noted no overall improvement in human rights despite prisoner releases.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 28 prisoners convicted of "extremist crimes," a term authorities use against dissenters, citing humanitarian grounds. This move comes as Lukashenko seeks to improve relations with the West, particularly since U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House, which has seen hundreds of political prisoners released in U.S.-mediated deals that also led to the lifting of some sanctions.
These deals have included the release of 250 political prisoners in March, accompanied by the U.S. lifting sanctions on two Belarusian state banks and the Finance Ministry, and removing top potash producers from a sanctions list. In April, journalist Andrzej Poczobut was freed in a swap with Poland that involved 10 individuals.
Despite these releases, Belarus continues to face international criticism. The Viasna human rights center reports that 864 political prisoners, including 21 journalists, remain jailed. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, warned that overall human rights have not improved, emphasizing the need to end politically motivated repression. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya echoed these concerns, stating that while the releases offer relief, hundreds of political prisoners are still incarcerated and must be freed.