Belarus has released 25 prisoners as part of an agreement that includes the easing of U.S. sanctions against certain Belarusian companies. John Koval, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, announced this news on Wednesday.
Details of the Agreement
This agreement was signed after Koval's meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, who was seeking to reduce the remaining U.S. sanctions. Koval also wrote in his post on social media platform X: "25 prisoners were released today!" and expressed satisfaction with the Trump administration's commitment to direct diplomacy.
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Koval also thanked Lukashenko and officials from Lithuania, Belarus's neighbor and EU member, for their support. He added: "We will continue to improve U.S.-Belarus relations and are working to secure the release of more prisoners in the near future."
Background of the Sanctions
Belarus has been under Lukashenko's rule for over three decades, known for its severe repression of dissent and human rights violations. The country has been repeatedly sanctioned by Western nations for human rights abuses and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
After Trump's return to the White House for his second term, Lukashenko released hundreds of political prisoners in a series of U.S.-brokered agreements, and some U.S. sanctions were also lifted. In March, Belarus released 250 political prisoners in an agreement mediated by Washington.
Lukashenko had stated before his meeting with Koval that he was ready to discuss "big or small agreements" and was seeking dialogue about a new round of U.S. sanctions and the export of Belarusian fertilizers to the United States.
Reactions to the Release of Prisoners
The leader of the Belarusian opposition in exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, praised Koval's efforts as an important humanitarian mission and emphasized that Lukashenko's government continues to imprison dissenters. She said: "The goal should be to empty the prisons, not to revive dictatorship."
According to reports, Belarus still has 887 political prisoners. Tsikhanouskaya thanked the U.S. government for prioritizing political prisoners and added that these actions have had real results. However, she noted the ongoing repression by Lukashenko and his support for Russia's war against Ukraine.
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Source: abcnews.com
