VILNIUS: Belarus has released 52 political prisoners in a significant development involving international diplomatic efforts.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda confirmed the prisoners’ safe crossing into Lithuania on Thursday, acknowledging United States involvement in securing their release.
The released individuals include six Lithuanian citizens alongside nationals from Latvia, Poland, Germany, France and Britain according to Belarusian state news agency Belta.
President Nauseda expressed deep gratitude for Washington and President Donald Trump’s personal involvement in the prisoner release negotiations.
The release follows sustained pressure from the Trump administration on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko regarding political prisoners.
Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin while suppressing media freedom and political opposition.
Nauseda emphasised that more than 1,000 political prisoners remain detained in Belarusian prisons despite this positive development.
The prisoner release coincided with the United States lifting sanctions on Belarusian state airline Belavia during a diplomatic visit.
US deputy special envoy John Cole announced the sanctions lifting during a meeting with Lukashenko that was broadcast on state television.
Cole stated that President Trump personally directed the sanctions removal, bypassing normal bureaucratic processes through State Department, Treasury and Commerce coordination.
The released prisoners include opposition figures, journalists and participants in protests according to President Nauseda’s news conference statements.
Among those freed was Lithuanian national Elena Ramanauskiene, who had been imprisoned on espionage charges since last year.
This marks the second significant prisoner release in recent months after Belarus freed 14 political prisoners in June, including exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya’s husband Sergei Tikhanovsky. – AFP