Lukashenko Pardons 30 Prisoners Amid Political Turmoil

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 30 people for protest-related crimes, including seven women. This marks the third round of pardons in three months. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the move but stressed the continued repression. Analysts suggest Lukashenko aims to improve his image before the 2025 presidential election.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 30 individuals on Wednesday who were serving prison sentences for protest-related crimes, his press service announced. This marks the third instance in three months where the authoritarian leader has issued pardons.

While the names of the released prisoners have not been disclosed, it is known that seven women are among them. According to Lukashenko's press service, all those pardoned have admitted their guilt, sincerely repented, and vowed to lead law-abiding lives. Currently, around 1,400 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut, whose release Poland has been advocating for. The Viasna human rights center reports that at least six political prisoners have died in custody.

In a similar action last month, Lukashenko pardoned another 30 people convicted of participating in mass protests. Among them were journalists and activists suffering from severe illnesses. Back in July, 18 additional political prisoners were released, including Ryhor Kastusiou, the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front, who is battling severe cancer.

Belarus experienced its largest-ever protests in 2020, following an election that granted Lukashenko a sixth term, which opposition and Western entities condemned as fraudulent. According to Viasna, 65,000 people have been detained since the protests began, and hundreds of thousands have fled the country.

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the recent round of pardons but highlighted that thousands of innocent political prisoners remain detained, including her husband Siarhei, who is serving a 19½-year sentence for organizing the 2020 protests.

Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that repression in Belarus is continuing and intensifying, calling for constant international pressure to secure freedom for all political prisoners. The Viasna human rights center stated that 33 activists would stand trial in Belarus this week alone for their involvement in protests. Over the past three months, more than 200 people have been sentenced for protesting.

Analysts believe Lukashenko is trying to improve his image ahead of the 2025 presidential election. Having ruled Belarus for three decades, he has announced plans to seek a seventh term.

Analyst Valery Karbalevich noted that immediately after political prisoners are released, their places are filled by new ones, indicating that the authorities are not liberalizing. He suggested that the releases are intended to project a more humane image to the West to gain recognition for the 2025 election.