Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has recently pardoned 30 individuals who were incarcerated for “protest-related crimes,” as reported by his press service. This marks the third instance in three months where Lukashenko has granted pardons to prisoners. Specific names of the individuals set free have not been disclosed, but the group includes seven women. The press service stated that all those who were pardoned had confessed to their wrongdoing, expressed genuine remorse, and promised to uphold a law-abiding lifestyle.
Belarus currently detains around 1,400 political prisoners, which includes notable figures like Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Notably, there have been at least six reported deaths of political prisoners while in custody, according to the Viasna human rights center.
This pardon comes after previous releases by Lukashenko, with 30 individuals who were convicted for involvement in mass demonstrations being pardoned last month. Furthermore, in July, 18 political prisoners were also freed, among them Ryhor Kastusiou, the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front suffering from advanced cancer.
In 2020, Belarus encountered massive protests following an election that granted Lukashenko a sixth term as president, an election criticized by the opposition and Western nations as deceitful. Violence and suppression ensued, leading to the arrest of approximately 65,000 individuals, with hundreds of thousands fleeing Belarus.
Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya responded positively to the recent pardons but emphasized that numerous innocent political prisoners remain in detention, including her husband serving a lengthy sentence for his role in the protests. Tikhanovskaya stressed the need for sustained international pressure to secure the release of all political detainees.
Viasna reported that this week alone, 33 activists are set to face trials for their involvement in protests within Belarus, with over 200 individuals sentenced for protesting in the past three months. Analysts believe Lukashenko’s motives for the pardons are geared towards enhancing his image ahead of the upcoming presidential campaign in 2025, in which he intends to run for a seventh term.
Despite the prisoner releases, the ongoing cycle of detaining individuals related to political dissent indicates a lack of actual liberalization within Belarus. The move to free political prisoners is viewed as a strategic effort by Belarusian authorities to portray a more humane image to the West as they prepare for the 2025 election to gain international recognition.
Belarusian president grants amnesty to 30 individuals incarcerated for political reasons
