Łukašenka says to keep releasing political prisoners

September 28, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka told students in Minsk yesterday that he will continue to pardon those convicted of what he called extremist crimes.
“This is the constitutional duty of the president,” he said, as quoted by his press office.
“Those who repented and promised to change their position and not disturb other people” will be released, Łukašenka said, adding that “sometimes they break their obligations.”
He went on to say that he was not pressured into pardoning political prisoners.
“Nobody asked me and there was no exchange. We looked into the issue. One was sick, [Belarusian Popular Front chairman Ryhor] Kastusioŭ. He and [lawyer Juryj] Ziankovič wanted to shoot down the president’s landing helicopter, etc. What did you get yourself into? Cancer was discovered. Why keep him in prison? We released him and others who are sick, lame, etc. So, we released them for purely humanitarian reasons,” he said.
The Belarusian ruler has pardoned 115 political prisoners so far. There are 1,325 documented political prisoners in Belarus.
Łukašenka fears his exiled opponents may storm into Belarus
- Economy, SocietyLithuania seizes counterfeit Belarusian cigarettes worth over €2 millionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsKyiv backs Riga’s plan to ban grain transit from Belarus, RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyBelarusians with Lithuanian residence permits down 6 percent since JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals target historian, books, online activitiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityAt least 730 Belarusians fighting for Russia killed in Ukraine, hacktivists sayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja: Europe put up with Łukašenka, viewing him as “our son of the bitch”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsKGB brands four people “terrorists”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRussia puts Belarusian musician Doŭhušaŭ on its wanted listThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Sport
- Politics, SecurityPoland prolongs restrictions on asylum requests at border with Belarus by another 60 daysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLatvia set to prolong visa restrictions for Belarusians until 2028The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityBelarusian injured in drone attack in Russia returns home – foreign ministryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCentral bank’s net assets down 6.2 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyCichanoŭskaja raises Belarusian community’s needs with Georgian PMThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Sport
- Economy
- EconomyCash in circulation up 1 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+



