{"id":116561,"date":"2024-12-03T19:58:01","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T16:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/116561\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"politicians-discuss-ways-to-secure-release-of-political-prisoners-at-minsk-forum-in-berlin","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/116561\/","title":{"rendered":"Politicians discuss ways to secure release of political prisoners at Minsk Forum in Berlin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Minsk Forum in Berlin, December 2\n <\/div>\n \n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

December 3, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> German diplomat Jan Kantorczyk has voiced his skepticism about the possibility of West’s negotiations with Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, DW <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the 22nd Minsk Forum in Berlin on December 2, Kantorczyk was asked whether talks with \u0141uka\u0161enka for the sake of Belarusian political prisoners were an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He expressed doubt that this is reasonable from a moral and ethical standpoint. Reprisals continue and new political prisoners come in every day, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What’s the point of trying to convince \u0141uka\u0161enka to release political prisoners in order to improve relations? I think that’s a limited hope,” Kantorczyk said. “On the other hand, if there is an opportunity to help people, I think that opportunity should be explored.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Nowak, head of the German foreign ministry’s department for Russia and Belarus, said Germany’s solidarity with the Belarusian people remains unwavering, and it will try to provide the resources necessary to implement this support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is our moral duty to use all available instruments to save lives,” said Valer Kavale\u016dski, executive director of the Euro-Atlantic Affairs Agency. According to him, seven people have died in Belarusian prisons and the number may increase. “I don’t think we have done all we can to free political prisoners,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minsk Forum has been held since 1997 under the aegis of Germany. It is a platform for contacts between different sides and positions in Belarus. In Minsk, it was last organized in 2019. The following year the event was held online. Then it moved to Vilnius, Warsaw and Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to human rights defenders, there are currently 1,294 political prisoners in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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