Belarus frees 25 prisoners in exchange for the US lifting some sanctions, envoy says
The interim deal follows months of U.S.-mediated talks and could lead to more prisoner releases and additional sanctions relief, officials said.
- On Wednesday, U.S. special envoy John Coale announced Belarus agreed to release 25 prisoners in exchange for the United States lifting sanctions on two companies, Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom.
- This agreement mirrors a March deal where President Alexander Lukashenko freed 250 prisoners after Washington lifted sanctions on Belarusian state banks, part of negotiations Coale has led since 2025 to secure releases in exchange for sanctions relief.
- Among those released were journalist Andrei Alyaksandrau, his wife Iryna Zlobina, and Liudmila Chekina, head of news portal TUT.BY. A September 15 UN report documented that authorities continue using the criminal justice system as an instrument of repression.
- Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the release but cautioned against viewing it as political change, stating, "We should not confuse releases with political change. Repression continues, and Lukashenko continues supporting Russia's war."
- Rights group Viasna reports that more than 900 political prisoners remain in Belarus, while critics warn Lukashenko uses detainees as "bargaining chips" to legitimize his rule; lawyers documented that authorities confiscated passports of some released detainees, amounting to forced deportation.
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The bilateral talks concluded with substantial progress in diplomatic, economic and financial matters.
A group of 25 detainees were released and sent to Lithuania after negotiations between the U.S. and Belarus, a human rights agency reported.The U.S. special envoy announced the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian companies, while bank assets from the European country will be unblocked.
The resumption of dialogue with Washington, initiated with the return of Donald Trump, allowed the release of hundreds of prisoners, although the country still has 886 political prisoners, according to the NGO Viesna.
Belarus frees 25 prisoners in exchange for the U.S. lifting some sanctions, envoy says
The U.S. special envoy for Belarus said Wednesday that the country's authorities have agreed to release 25 prisoners in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions against two Belarusian companies.
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