- Belarus freed 25 prisoners, including human rights campaigners, political activists, journalists, and lawyers.
- John Coale, President Trump's special envoy for Belarus, announced the release, stating: 25 prisoners are free today! and credited President Trump's commitment to direct diplomacy.
- The European Union welcomed the release but noted that 800+ individuals remain arbitrarily detained in appalling conditions.
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian opposition leader, expressed gratitude to Trump and Coale for making political prisoners a priority, but stressed that repression continues.
- The release marked the culmination of a stretching back more than a year between Coale and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
- A day before the release, Coale promised Lukashenko that US banks would return tens of millions of dollars in frozen Belarusian assets.
- According to the Viasna human rights center, Belarus still has 887 political prisoners.
- Coale said he expected to return in about a month and hopes to see hundreds freed.
- Among those released was journalist Andrei Alyaksandrau, who had been serving a 14-year term and said he had lost 30kgs in captivity.
Belarus freed 25 political prisoners on Wednesday as part of a deal with the U.S. that included lifting sanctions on two Belarusian companies. U.S. envoy John Coale, who announced the release, emphasized the importance of direct diplomacy, stating, “25 prisoners are free today!”23
The release marks a significant step in U.S.-Belarus relations, following a year of negotiations with President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Coale noted that the U.S. would continue to work towards the release of more prisoners, stating, “We are not finished!”7
Among those freed were human rights campaigners, political activists, journalists, and lawyers. Coale expressed hope to return in a month to see “hundreds” more released. The U.S. will lift sanctions on Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom, two Belarusian companies, as part of the agreement.10
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya praised the U.S. for prioritizing political prisoners but cautioned that “repression continues” under Lukashenko's regime, which still holds 887 political prisoners, according to the Viasna human rights center. Christian Wigand, the EU’s lead spokesperson for foreign affairs, welcomed the release but highlighted that 800+ individuals remain arbitrarily detained in poor conditions.4569
The freed journalist Andrei Alyaksandrau, who lost 30kgs during his imprisonment, expressed optimism, stating he was “in a good mood” after his release.1112
“The freed include human rights campaigners, activists, journalists, and lawyers, with journalist Andrei Alyaksandrau among them after a 14-year term. Viasna reports 887 political prisoners remain, and the EU says 800+ are still arbitrarily detained, calling for their immediate release.”
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