Belarus has forgiven 52 prisoners and released them to Lithuania, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausda said Thursday.
The latest release of Belarus’ political prisoners amidst the warming between Washington and Minsk. Trump administration officials have said the US will ease sanctions against Belarusian state airline Bellavia.
In a statement on social media, Nausda welcomed the release of political prisoners, saying, “No one is left!”
“52 prisoners today crossed the Lithuanian border safely from Belarus, leaving behind barbed wire, windows and constant fear,” the Lithuanian president wrote, adding that he is “deeply grateful” to the United States and Trump.
“There are a lot of 52. So many people,” he added. “Even so, more than 1,000 political prisoners remain in Belarus’ prisons, and it cannot be stopped until they see their freedom!”
Their release took place on Trump’s direction after Belarus’ Strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko met with senior Trump manager John Kohl on Thursday.
The two discussed “a variety of issues, including the release of additional prisoners and regional security issues, including ending the weaponization of illegal transitions from Belarus to neighboring NATO countries,” the Trump administration said.
Kohl has notified Lukashenko of easing certain sanctions in Bellavia, officials said, “This limited relief package allows Bellavia to service and purchase components of its existing fleet, including Boeing aircraft.”
The US welcomed the release of political prisoners, and officials said they would “continue to work to free Belarus the remaining nearly 1,300 political prisoners.”
Lukashenko has announced that there are 14 people who have been released “at the request of the US President” “at the request of the US President.” The releases include six Lithuanians, two Latvians, two Pauls, two Germans, one from France and one from Britain.
Belarus said Kohl indicated that the US wanted to reopen its embassy in Minsk, but he did not specify a date.
Belarus also handed over a letter from Trump and the American First Lady, where he said he had a good desire for Lukashenko and presented him with the gift of cufflinks featuring images of the White House.
“No matter how mediocre it sounds, I want to thank the President (Trump) – not because I want him to flatten him, but because that’s because I’m a foreigner to me.
Russian state media Tass reported that 52 people were forgiven “on humanitarian grounds” and “as a gesture of goodwill” in response to the requests of Trump and other world leaders.
Nausda confirmed that six Lithuanians had been released. Polish provincial media also reported that Polish people had been forgiven.
However, the full list of pardoned prisoners has not yet been released.
Human rights group Viasuna said in a post on Telegram that among those released are Mikalai Stackevich, a former Belarusian presidential candidate and political prisoner who was detained in 2020 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Nothing has been known about his condition since February 9, 2023, Viasuna said.
According to Svetlana Tykanovskaya, the exiled opposition leader in Belarus, Starkevich refused to be deported to Lithuania and chose to stay in his country. Independent media warns that politicians are at risk of re-arrest for staying in Belarus.
“All Belarusians have the right to live without the oppression of their own country or the fear of the nation,” Tikanovskaya said in a statement. “We wish Mikarai, the true hero of our people, for strength, safety and freedom.”
Human rights activists and independent Belarusian media have reported the release of other prominent political prisoners, including activist and philosopher Vladimir Matzkevich and Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskien.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kistis Budley said he was sentenced to six years in 2024 for “manufactured accusations.”
Earlier this year, Belarus was released Sergei Tykanovsky, the husband of major opposition leader Tykanovskaya, following another rare visit by a senior US official who announced in June.
