Lukashenko released over 100 political prisoners in exchange for lifting fertilizer sanctions - media

Aleksandr Lukashenko has released over a hundred political prisoners, including former Belarusian presidential candidate in the 2020 elections Viktor Babariko, head of his campaign headquarters Maria Kolesnikova, and Nobel laureate human rights activist Ales Bilyatsky, Dzerkalo reports, citing the press service.

This happened after the US announced the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash introduced in 2021.

By decision of the President of Belarus, 123 citizens of various countries who were convicted on charges of espionage, terrorism, and extremist activities were pardoned, "within the framework of agreements reached with US President Donald Trump and at his request," the administration reported.

This was done in order to "accelerate the positive dynamics of the development of relations with partner countries of the Republic of Belarus", as well as to "stabilize the situation" on the European continent, the press service said. 114 people who were released were taken to Ukraine, the Ukrainian project "I Want to Live" reports.

Kolesnikova, who "looks and feels good", has already left Belarus, said Tatyana Khomych, the sister of the oppositionist and co-founder of the FreeBelarusPrisoners association. Bilyatsky, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was forcibly deported from the country after his release, Viasna writes.

According to the advisor to the leader of the Belarusian opposition Svitlana Tikhanovskaya, who is in exile, all the released prisoners have already left the country and are safe. Dzerkalo writes that Kolesnikova and Babariko were sent to Ukraine.

According to media reports and human rights activists, the list of those released includes political prisoners Ilya Knyazev, Oleksandr Feduta, and Vyacheslav Papso, lawyer Maksym Znak, human rights activists Valentyn Stefanovych and Volodymyr Labkovych, and other Belarusians and foreign citizens.