UN Hails Belarus’ Move to Release 123 Prisoners
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq, speaking at a news briefing, said: "We welcome the 13 December release by the Belarusian authorities of 123 political prisoners, including the 2022 Nobel Peace laureate, Mr. Ales Bialiatski, as well as civic activist Ms. Maria Kolesnikova and commend the efforts of the United States in facilitating this and other recent releases," adding that the UN appreciates U.S. involvement in securing the releases.
According to Belarus’ presidential press service, the pardon follows agreements with U.S. President Donald Trump and is linked to lifting sanctions on Belarus’ potassium (potash) industry — a key export sector that had been targeted by punitive measures.
Haq also underscored the UN’s hopes that the move could pave the way for broader engagement on civil liberties, stating: "We hope that this latest step enables greater dialogue, including on the issue of human rights, and we call for the release of all remaining political prisoners in Belarus," he said.
State media and reports confirm that these pardons include citizens from a range of countries, a continuation of earlier clemency decisions in recent weeks. Last month, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko granted pardons to 23 people from Australia, Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, the United States, Ukraine and Japan.
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