Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 15 prisoners on Thursday, after talks last week with US President Donald Trump’s envoy John Coale. Lukashenko’s office said 10 were women and 13 had committed “crimes of an extremist nature.”
Lukashenko’s office said the pardons followed requests for clemency and expressions of remorse. Coale has negotiated with Lukashenko for more than a year, securing the release of hundreds of prisoners—including opposition figures, activists, journalists and lawyers—in return for removing some US sanctions. The banned human rights group Viasna says 883 political prisoners remain in Belarus; Lukashenko denies the country has any political prisoners.
Coale’s visit last week secured the release of 25 people, compared with 250 during his previous trip in March. His stated goal is to free all remaining prisoners this year. Analysts say Lukashenko is taking a tougher line in the talks, frustrated that US sanctions relief, particularly on potash, has not been matched by the EU. Lukashenko has also demanded the release of $43 million to $44 million in frozen Belarusian assets he says are stuck at Citibank. Coale promised to address the issue; Citi declined to comment.
