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Belarus Frees 123 Political Prisoners Amid Sanctions Relief

12/15/2025

Summary

Story summary

Belarus released 123 political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, after U.S. sanctions relief on potash.
U.S. envoy John Coale confirmed the sanctions relief after talks with President Alexander Lukashenko.
The release included one U.S. citizen and five Ukrainians, with 114 prisoners transferred to Ukraine and nine to Lithuania, while the opposition says the move is humanitarian but Lukashenko's regime remains unchanged with over 1,000 still detained.

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Story summary

Belarus released 123 political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, after U.S. sanctions relief on potash.
U.S. envoy John Coale confirmed the sanctions relief after talks with President Alexander Lukashenko.
The release included one U.S. citizen and five Ukrainians, with 114 prisoners transferred to Ukraine and nine to Lithuania, while the opposition says the move is humanitarian but Lukashenko's regime remains unchanged with over 1,000 still detained.