 (1).png){kind=spacer}
2 months ago
18
Belarus has released 123 prisoners, including opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava, Nobel Peace Prize-winning rights activist Ales Bialiatski and ex-presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, in a deal brokered by the United States.
The prisoners were freed in connection with the lifting of "illegal" U.S. sanctions on the Belarusian potash industry earlier Saturday as well as Washington's work to lift other sanctions on Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko's press service said in a statement.
Kalesnikava, 43, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2021 after helping lead historic protests against Lukashenko's re-election in 2020.
She refused to go into exile and tore up her passport at the Belarus-Ukraine border but was ultimately jailed for violating national security and conspiring to seize power.
"I'm thinking of those who are not yet free, and I'm very much looking forward to the moment when we can all embrace, when we can all see one another, and when we will all be free," she said in a video interview with a Ukrainian government agency after being sent to Ukraine after being released.
Viktar Babaryka following his release.
viasna96 / Telegram
Bialiatski, 63, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2023 on charges widely seen as retribution for his criticism of Lukashenko.
"Our fight continues, and the Nobel Prize was, I think, a certain acknowledgement of our activity, our aspirations that have not yet come to fruition, therefore the fight continues," he told opposition media outlet Belsat in a televised interview from Vilnius.
Babaryka, 62, a former banker whose 2020 presidential campaign was managed by Kalesnikava before he was arrested, was serving a 14-year sentence on charges of fraud and money laundering that he denies.
The prisoners released on Saturday had been convicted on charges including espionage, terrorism and extremism and included citizens of other countries including the United States and Latvia.
Belarus has carried out a sweeping and violent crackdown on opposition activists and ordinary people who criticize Lukashenko since the 2020 protests, which saw hundreds of thousands of Belarusians take to the streets to call for free and fair elections.
It has typically charged critics with “extremism,” handing out years-long prison sentences.
Minsk has sought to improve ties with the U.S. since President Donald Trump returned to office this year, freeing dozens of political prisoners including opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski in recent months.
Belarus had at least 1,200 political prisoners as of November 2025, according to the rights group Viasna.
AFP contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
