Cichanoŭskaja commends Trump administration’s efforts to free jailed dissidents
March 16, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has praised the efforts by US President Donald Trump and John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus, to secure the release of jailed Belarusian dissidents.
“As I said before, the United States has the leverage to help make this happen. This is about saving people’s lives. Every day matters,” she noted on X.
Last week, Alaksandar Łukašenka said that Minsk was conducting negotiations with Washington on a wide range of issues, including the restoration of regular operations at the embassy to the “release of so-called political prisoners.”
The Belarusian ruler made these remarks days after reports emerged that Coale planned to visit the country later this month.
Visits by representatives of Trump’s administration are typically followed by talks with Łukašenka and the release of groups of designated political prisoners. In return, some sanctions may be eased, as previously occurred with Biełavija and Biełaruśkalij.
Belarusian officials say that Minsk has been engaged in talks with Washington since mid-2024. Since then, Łukašenka has pardoned about 350 imprisoned regime critics. In September and December 2025, he released two large groups of dissidents, including prominent opposition figures, as a result of talks with Coale. Łukašenka’s state security agencies bussed all the convicts out of Belarus.
Despite the pardons and the releases of hundreds of people upon completion of their terms, the overall number of political prisoners in Belarus does not change considerably, averaging 1,150 for many successive months. This proves that the government continues to persecute Łukašenka’s opponents.
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