Belarus on Saturday pardoned 31 Ukrainain nationals in line with the agreement reached by President Alexander Lukhashenko and Donald Trump.
“The president has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens who committed criminal offenses on the territory of our country,” Lukashenko's spokeswoman Natalia Eismont told state TV. She explained that the pardon was part of the agreements reached between US and Blearus leaders and aimed at “creating conditions for the settlement of the armed conflict in the neighboring state.” The video of released Ukrainian prisoeners was shared in Ukrainina social media platforms.
Trump had been pushing for the release of political prisoners in Belarus in exchange of lifting sanctions against the country’s national carrier Belavia, enabling it to buy parts for its fleet.
Lukashenko, 71, has ruled Belarus 1994 and stifled discontent by placig pressure on free media and political opposition. Anyone disagreeing with the government’s policies has been charged as criminals and extremists. The country has 1,000 political prisoners remaining in prisons, according to right groups. Earleri in September, Belarus released 52 political prisoners, including trade union leaders, journalists and activists. Many of Belarusian political prisoners were jailed in 2020 during nationwide protests after Lukashenko won a sixth term in the presidential election that was dubbed as rigged by the international community.
