Belarus Releases Political Prisoners, Including Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Belarus released 123 political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski, after talks with a US envoy, signaling a possible thaw in relations.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's government released 123 political prisoners on Saturday following discussions with a U.S. envoy.
The released prisoners included Ales Bialiatski, the Nobel Peace Prize winner recognized for his decades-long advocacy for politically imprisoned individuals. Maria Kolesnikova, a prominent figure in Belarusian street protests, was also among those freed.
This action by Minsk, a close ally of Russia, comes as the country appears to be seeking improved relations with the United States. Following the announcement of the prisoner release, the U.S. indicated that it would lift some economic sanctions against Belarus.
Bialiatski was arrested in 2021 during a crackdown on widespread protests against Lukashenko, who was declared the winner of a presidential election the opposition claimed was rigged. Despite other dissidents fleeing the country, Bialiatski chose to remain. His wife, Natallia Pinchuk, told Reuters that he was fully aware of the risks. She noted that colleagues had urged him to leave, but he felt responsible for those imprisoned and could not abandon them during such a severe situation. In April 2023, Bialiatski was convicted of financial crimes.
