February 25, Pozirk. Viktar Babaryka, a former presidential hopeful who spent five years in prison on what is widely regarded as politically motivated charges, told Zerkalo that he would consider another bid in an honest election if no new leaders emerge who share his values and can achieve more than he can.
“I still want to see the Belarus that I want for myself, my children and my grandchildren,” said the politician, who was released from prison in December under a deal between Washington and Minsk.
He also said he is ready to hold negotiations in Belarus with entities and individuals not involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine, adding that his priority is to “stop the factory producing political prisoners.”
Earlier, he said that his goal was a “non-Russian, nuclear-free, democratic” Belarus.
Babaryka spent more than five years in prison before being released on December 13 along with 123 other prisoners as part of a deal with Washington. He had been convicted of corruption and sentenced to 14 years in prison, but his supporters say the charges were intended to prevent him from running in the 2020 presidential race, which he could have won.
