Belarus agrees to release 25 prisoners as part of US sanctions deal
Belarus has agreed to free 25 prisoners in return for a further easing of U.S. sanctions, an envoy for President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, reports BritPanorama.
The agreement is the result of extended negotiations wherein Washington is pushing Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to release hundreds of individuals, including human rights activists, political opposition members, journalists, and lawyers, in exchange for sanctions relief and to alleviate his international isolation.
Trump’s envoy, John Coale, informed reporters in Minsk that an interim deal was reached: “We agreed to an interim deal, and as a show of goodwill Belarus will release 25 people and in exchange the United States will lift sanctions on two companies.”
However, the number of prisoners set to be released is significantly lower than the 250 prisoners Coale had negotiated during his previous visit to Minsk in March.
Both parties have committed to resolving outstanding issues to facilitate future prisoner releases and additional sanctions removals.
Coale later stated on X, “We will continue to improve US-Belarus relations and are working to secure the release of more people in the very near future. We are not finished!”
Belarusian human rights group Viasna reported that a new wave of prisoner pardons has commenced, with families of some detainees informed they could collect their loved ones from penal facilities on Wednesday morning.
Despite these developments, Viasna, which operates clandestinely in Belarus, asserts that over 900 political prisoners still remain incarcerated, even following Coale’s negotiations that have reportedly facilitated the release of hundreds since mid-2024.
Many of these individuals face charges of “extremist” activities, conspiracy to seize power, incitement of hatred, or insults directed at the president.
During discussions with Coale, Lukashenko dismissed claims that the prisoners are political detainees and refuted allegations from human rights organizations and the exiled opposition suggesting he is increasingly arresting more individuals to replace those who are released.
The sanctions to be lifted by the U.S. apply to two companies: Lakokraska, which produces paints and industrial coatings, and Bellesbumprom, a state-owned enterprise overseeing the forestry, pulp, and paper sectors. Sanctions against these entities had been in place since 2008 and 2023, respectively.
Coale also assured Lukashenko that the U.S. banking sector would be approached to return tens of millions of dollars in frozen Belarusian assets.
Since last year, Coale’s diplomatic efforts have led to the release of notable figures, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and other leading opposition members. His actions have garnered appreciation from many Belarusians, albeit with some concern regarding the broader implications.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya remarked, “We should use every opportunity to save lives. But we should not confuse releases with political change. Repression continues, and Lukashenko continues supporting Russia’s war [in Ukraine].”
She emphasized, “The purpose should be to empty the prisons, not to rehabilitate the dictatorship.”
