After direct negotiations with the USA, Belarus releases 250 political prisoners. In return, the US authorities is lifting some sanctions. President Lukashenko may quickly even profit personally.
250 political prisoners are to be launched in authoritarian Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko introduced this after negotiations with the US authorities’s particular envoy, John Coale, within the Belarusian capital Minsk.
In return, the US authorities is lifting sanctions towards two Belarusian banks, two fertilizer producers and the native finance ministry. Coale spoke of the discharge as a “significant humanitarian milestone”. This exhibits that President Donald Trump is dedicated to “direct, uncompromising diplomacy.” Unlike the EU, which is isolating Lukashenko due to his human rights violations, the USA is counting on progress by way of direct contacts with Minsk.
Lukashenko solely speaks of criminals
Among these launched is Marfa Rabkova, coordinator of the human rights group Vyasna’s volunteer community. She was arrested in September 2020 and was serving a jail sentence of 14 years and 9 months on extremism and different expenses. She denies these allegations.
The tv journalist Yekaterina Andreyeva can also be to be launched, reviews the opposition Belarusian portal Nasha Niva. Andreyeva was imprisoned for her reviews on the mass protests towards Lukashenko’s manipulated re-election in 2020.
Civil rights activists and non-governmental organizations depend as much as 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus. Lukashenko himself denies that there are any political prisoners. In his opinion they’re common criminals.
Travel to the USA?
There is also a diplomatic gesture of recognition for the authoritarian ruler Lukashenko. “We also talked about a possible trip by President Lukashenko to the USA,” Coale mentioned in entrance of tv cameras. A telephone name with Trump can also be potential.
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/belarus-gefangene-freilassung-104.html