KGB recruits political prisoners released on pardon – activists

September 28, Pozirk. The Committee for State Security (KGB) forcibly recruits former political prisoners on a mass scale, the Dissidentby human rights group reported yesterday.
The report concerns those released on pardon in 2024. Agents “insist that they sign a number of papers and agree to star in propaganda videos, and also forbid them to leave the country.”
The committee threatens new charges and pressure on families to coerce them into spying on the pro-democracy movement, according to the report. The KGB tells them to contact foundations and other groups with the purpose of extracting any information that can damage the opposition, it added.
Often, agents install spyware on their mobile phones “enabling regime agents to carry out intelligence activities online.”
Alaksandar Łukašenka has pardoned 115 people since July 3.
On August 16, he signed an edict pardoning 37 people sentenced for “extremist” crimes. Similarly, 30 people were pardoned on September 4 and 30 more on August 16.
In early July, human rights defenders reported the release of 18 political prisoners after Łukašenka had announced a pardon for his critically-ill opponents.
According to Supreme Court Chairman Valancin Sukała, 14 were released after the aforementioned announcement.
Today, there are 1,329 designated political prisoners in Belarus.

Seven more political prisoners added to Viasna list
- PoliticsKyiv sanctions Belarusian propaganda worker, two entitiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyHousing waiting lists quadruple during Łukašenka’s 30-year ruleThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyPublic transit passengers across Belarus face rising faresThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReservists train to combat drones near shared border with LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCentral bank: core inflation kept accelerating in MarchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka offers Pakistan to ship goods to Europe via BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsTwenty-seven added to list of "extremists"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SocietyBelarus' delegation to be invited to Hiroshima peace ceremonyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyGlobal trade war to affect Belarus in long run, economist warnsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityTroops holding drills in northern, southern BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SecurityUkrainian court approves seizure of Biełaruskalij’s assetsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsReprisals: police visit exiled activists' relativesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights initiative closes down after extremist group designationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsLatvian MPs to consider banning trade in Belarusian goodsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus led industrial price growth in Russia-led economic union in FebruaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMaternity capital most frequently used to purchase housingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPACE: special tribunal on aggression against Ukraine should span BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus plans to launch ionosphere satellite in Q3The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyConsumer prices rise by 0.8 percent in March, 5.9 percent y/yThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyObservatory for Defenders calls on Minsk to drop charges against SudalenkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- Politics, SecurityNigerian soldiers visiting Belarus' special operations unitThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: jailed EU staffer on "terrorism list"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLondon pledges to help Warsaw tackle illegal migrationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka wants to boost ideologic indoctrinationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEx-presidential hopeful Capkała's house sold at fourth auctionThe material is available only to POZIRK+