VILNIUS, Lithuania — In a notable shift, Belarus released 52 political prisoners on Thursday, coinciding with the United States lifting certain sanctions on the national airline, Belavia.
The move is seen as a part of Belarus’s attempts to improve relations with the West, following years of sanctions imposed due to the nation’s suppression of human rights and its role in aiding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
For over three decades, President Alexander Lukashenko has maintained an authoritarian grip over Belarus, a country of 9.5 million people, where hundreds of dissidents, opposition figures, and journalists remain imprisoned.
In recent months, Lukashenko has increasingly sought to re-establish ties with Western nations to alleviate the sanctions and the isolation faced by Belarus on the global stage.
This strategy has included periodic releases of political prisoners, a tactic employed to garner favor with international leaders.
A June release included dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the spouse of exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, along with 13 others, following a visit from a senior U.S. envoy.
Just before the announcement of Thursday’s releases, Belarusian state media showcased a video featuring U.S. envoy John Coale revealing that sanctions against Belavia were being lifted.
These sanctions originated after an incident in which Belarusian flight controllers directed a commercial flight from Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk, where authorities subsequently detained Raman Pratasevich, a prominent dissident journalist aboard the flight.
The U.S. response to the situation drew attention as the White House was quick to refrain from commenting directly on the sanctions lifting.
This diplomatic concession by Washington came a day after Poland reported incursions of Russian drones into its airspace, some of which originated from Belarus.
Western officials deemed this action aggressive, prompting NATO to scramble jets to intercept and neutralize some of the drones.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed his concerns about Russia’s actions, posting, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
Tsikhanouskaya raised alarms regarding the implications of lifting sanctions, stating that it could provide both the Lukashenko regime and Russia with opportunities to navigate around the sanctions without any meaningful reforms taking place in Belarus.
She told The Associated Press, “We understand that this is part of the deal. But lifting sanctions without systemic changes in the country could open loopholes that both the Lukashenko regime and Russia will use to circumvent the sanctions.”
According to a U.S. official, the recent adjustments to sanctions will allow Belavia to acquire parts for its planes, including Boeing aircraft, substantially easing restrictions for the airline.
Among the prominent figures released on Thursday was Mikalai Statkevich, a veteran opposition activist.
However, despite being freed, Statkevich chose not to enter Lithuania, instead remaining in the no-man’s land between Lithuania and Belarus, as border guards prevented his return home.
At 69 years old, Statkevich previously attempted to run for president in 2010 but was jailed for organizing protests against the government.
Amnesty International had previously recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, and after international pressure, he was released in 2015, only to be arrested again before the 2020 elections and sentenced to 14 years on similar charges.
Another notable release included Ihar Losik, a journalist affiliated with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, who faced a 15-year sentence for alleged involvement in organizing mass riots, inciting social hatred, and other accusations that remain vaguely defined.
Additionally, the group released on Thursday included 14 foreign nationals: six from Lithuania, two from Latvia, two from Poland, two from Germany, and one each from France and the United Kingdom, according to the Belarusian presidency’s press service.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed gratitude toward the U.S. and noted on X, “I am deeply grateful to the United States and personally to President @realDonaldTrump for their continued efforts to free political prisoners.
52 is a lot. A great many. Yet more than 1,000 political prisoners still remain in Belarusian prisons and we cannot stop until they see freedom!”
As of now, nearly 1,200 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarus, according to the human rights organization Viasna.
image source from：nbcnews
