Belarus Lukashenko releases 123 political prisoners under US pressure
At the urging of the USA, Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has released 123 political opponents after years of imprisonment. The opposition and human rights activists announced that they included prominent opposition figures such as Maria Kolesnikova, Viktor Babariko, Maxim Snak and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Belyatsky. The Belarusian opposition in exile in the EU spoke of "incredible news" and a day of joy. Kolesnikova and Babariko hugged each other, laughing and overjoyed at their first reunion in more than five years.
14.12.2025, 00:06
14.12.2025, 00:07
SDA
Kolesnikova spoke of a "great happiness", the first sunset back in freedom. "But of course I still think of those who are not yet free. I long for the moment when we can all hug each other," she said in a video published on Babariko's Telegram channel. Babariko himself said that his son was still in captivity.
Lukashenko's press service in Minsk announced that the release had taken place "within the framework of the agreements reached with US President Donald Trump and at his request". There was initially no official list of those released. According to official information, a US delegation led by Trump's envoy John Coale was in Belarus. The state news agency Belta reported that Lukashenko and Coale had negotiated on Friday and Saturday. The US representative also announced the end of sanctions against the country's potassium producers. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was relieved and expressed his gratitude to the USA on X.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Belyatski in Vilnius
Belyatski's Belarusian human rights center "Vesna" published individual names of released prisoners, nine of whom had been "deported" directly to neighboring Lithuania. In the capital Vilnius, Belyatsky greeted opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who has been fighting against Lukashenko in exile for years, with a hug. According to the media, he then said at the US embassy that he had been blindfolded for the entire journey to the border.
"They advised me to seek clemency, but I did not ask for a pardon," said Belyatsky in response to Lukashenko's statements that all prisoners had been pardoned. As a rule, a request for pardon is necessary in Belarus. "Wesna" emphasized that the departures were forced. Sometimes not all prisoners want to leave their home country forever.
For the relatives, the release was a moment of relief, said Tikhanovskaya, who many see as the winner of the 2020 presidential election against Lukashenko. Journalists were among those released. "Hundreds of political prisoners still remain in prisons in Belarus. And until the last one is free, the joy cannot be complete," she said. She had left the country in 2020 due to the threat of sentencing. Her husband Sergei Tikhanovsky was also released that year. Tikhanovskaya had taken over his presidential candidacy at the time.
Departure via Ukraine - thanks and praise for the USA
More than 100 prisoners were taken out of the country to Ukraine by bus. Among them was Kolesnikova, who smiled at the camera in a photo published by the opposition in exile, sitting on a seat with her fingers formed into a heart. In the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, her sister Tatyana Khomich said that she was expecting Maria. During a phone call, her sister told her that she was grateful to US President Trump and everyone involved in the liberation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that several citizens of his country were among those released. According to him, Kiev had been involved in the preparations for the release of the prisoners. Selensky also thanked the USA for its active role. He said that the aim now had to be to bring all Ukrainians who were Russian prisoners of war home.
Lukashenko had already released prisoners recently at the urging of the USA. According to the leadership in Minsk, this step was also due to the lifting of sanctions against the potassium industry in the Republic of Belarus. Belarus is an important producer of fertilizers and can now trade with the USA again. However, the EU sanctions against Belarus are still in force due to Lukashenko's support for Russia's war of aggression.
Lukashenko wants to improve relations with the USA
Lukashenko has pardoned citizens of various countries "who were convicted of various offenses - espionage, terrorist and extremist activities - under the laws of the Republic of Belarus," it said. The convicts had always denied the accusations. They were considered political prisoners because they had taken part in protests against Lukashenko's long-term rule.
It was a gesture at the "request of other heads of state and for humanitarian reasons as well as on the basis of general human and family values", Lukashenko's press service announced. The aim is to accelerate the positive dynamics of relations with Belarus' partner countries and stabilize the situation in the entire European region.
Kolesnikova led protests against Lukashenko
With the release of the prisoners under US mediation, Lukashenko recently also bought the lifting of other sanctions against the country, including the state-owned airline Belavia, which, like Russian airlines, is also banned from flying in the EU. Lukashenko had also shown himself open to letting Kolesnikova go. However, she would have to sign a petition for clemency, said Lukashenko, who is notorious as Europe's last dictator. He now also officially spoke of a pardon.
Kolesnikova was one of the leaders of the mass protests following the 2020 presidential election, which was overshadowed by unprecedented allegations of manipulation. Lukashenko had the protests crushed. Kolesnikova was arrested in September 2020 and sentenced to eleven years in prison a year later for conspiracy to overthrow the government. At the time of her arrest, she had prevented her forced departure by tearing up her passport so that she could stay in her home country.
Hundreds of Lukashenko's critics are still in prison in the country after being released in recent months. "Wesna" cites a figure of more than 1,000 prisoners. Lukashenko opponent Nikolai Statkevich, who was also released this year with US mediation, refused to leave the country - and was imprisoned again.
