Belarus Frees Political Detainees, Foreigners

(MENAFN) In an unforeseen development, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko authorized the release of 14 incarcerated individuals, including members of the press and 10 foreign nationals, on Saturday.

This significant gesture is believed to have been enabled by the mediation of Keith Kellogg, the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump to Ukraine and Russia.

Among the individuals set free is Sergei Tsikhanouski, who had been held since 2020 after declaring his intention to run for the presidency.

His spouse, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, shared the news on Telegram, expressing a blend of relief and continued concern.

"It's hard to describe the joy in my heart," she wrote, acknowledging the emotional weight of the moment.

However, she emphasized that the situation remains grave, as over 1,100 individuals imprisoned for political reasons are still being held.

"All must be released," she stated on X, extending gratitude to American and European officials for their ongoing backing.

All of those liberated were subsequently relocated to neighboring Lithuania.

This action came shortly after a prolonged meeting between Lukashenko and Kellogg on Saturday, which reportedly extended for over six hours.

Belarusian presidential representative Natallia Eismant commented that the initiative was driven "solely for humanitarian reasons in order to reunite the family."

She confirmed that the freed group included two individuals from Japan, three from Poland, two from Latvia, and others from Estonia, Sweden, and the United States.

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