Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has unexpectedly pardoned and released 31 political prisoners, according to news from his office on Thursday. Details about the individuals remain undisclosed, but authorities mentioned that among the released are three individuals with disabilities and 17 with chronic health conditions. In Belarus, prison conditions have been criticized for inadequate medical care. The freed individuals had been convicted of "crimes of an extremist nature," a term often used for those involved in the 2020 mass protests against Lukashenko's contested re-election.
While Lukashenko's recent actions have led to the release of 115 political prisoners this year, the authoritarian leader has simultaneously continued his political repression. Pavel Sapelka from Viasna, a human rights organization, observed the nuanced political landscape, describing Lukashenko's new gesture as "very contradictory signals." This ambiguous move comes as Belarus approaches its presidential elections in January, casting uncertainty on the motive behind the releases.
The continued crackdown presents a tense period in Belarusian politics, with over 1,278 political prisoners still behind bars, according to Viasna. The organization's Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder, Ales Bialiatski, remains imprisoned. Sapelka highlighted an "escalation of fear and increased repression" in the country, expressing that it is "not entirely clear" what signals Minsk intends with these actions as it anticipates upcoming political milestones. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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