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Story summary
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 18 prisoners, including 15 convicted on extremism charges, to improve ties with the United States.
- Since August, 123 prisoners have been released, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski.
- The United States lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilizer and its airline.
- More than 1,140 political prisoners remain incarcerated.
- Belarus labeled PEN Belarus writers' association as extremist, raising safety concerns for Nobel laureates Svetlana Alexievich and Ales Bialiatski.
