{"id":180225,"date":"2026-03-20T11:54:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T08:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/180225\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T11:57:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T08:57:19","slug":"eu-foreign-affairs-chief-release-of-dissidents-tangible-step-forward","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/180225\/","title":{"rendered":"EU foreign affairs chief: release of 250 prisoners \u201ctangible step forward\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Alexey Larionov \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

March 20, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>Kaja Kallas, the European Union\u2019s foreign affairs chief, praised yesterday’s release of 250 Belarusian dissidents as “a welcome and tangible step forward.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official acknowledged the role of the United States in mediating the deal with Minsk as the prisoners were freed following talks between John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus, and Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For many families, this is a moment of long-awaited relief and a chance to reunite with their loved ones,” Kallas noted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We can’t overlook that these individuals should never have been imprisoned in the first place,” she added, calling for the release of all designated political prisoners and an end to politically-motivated reprisals in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crackdown on opposition and regime critics in Belarus continues unabated since the 2020 postelection protests. Over the past two years, Minsk has been releasing groups of designated political prisoners following talks with US diplomats and the lifting of some sanctions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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