{"id":101905,"date":"2024-08-24T10:57:05","date_gmt":"2024-08-24T07:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/101905\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"pazniak-return-of-western-envoys-to-minsk-to-help-negotiate-political-prisoners-release","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/101905\/","title":{"rendered":"Pa\u017aniak: return of Western envoys to Minsk to help negotiate political prisoners’ release"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pavie\u0142 Chadzinski \/ Facebook)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 24, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka may release political prisoners if ambassadors of Western countries decide to return to Minsk, Zianon Pa\u017aniak, his long-time rival and leader of the Volnaja Bie\u0142aru\u015b movement, told the Warta<\/em> YouTube channel on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 1996, the West has not recognized not a single election campaign in Belarus as fair, yet it maintained diplomatic presence in Minsk and had leverage on the situation in Belarus, the politician said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political prisoners should be treated as prisoners of war and negotiations are necessary to secure their release, yet no one is in contact with Belarusian officials or Foreign Minister Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d, Pa\u017aniak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The return of some Western envoys to Minsk would facilitate communication with Belarusian diplomats and negotiate specific issues, such as the release of political prisoners, Pa\u017aniak stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the disputed presidential election four years ago, Hungary\u2019s Zita Bencsik was the only European Union’s ambassador to present credentials to \u0141uka\u0161enka last September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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