{"id":185919,"date":"2026-05-01T22:28:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/185919\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T22:29:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:29:00","slug":"opposition-politician-backs-us-efforts-to-secure-release-of-belarusian-dissidents","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/185919\/","title":{"rendered":"Opposition politician backs US efforts to secure release of Belarusian dissidents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

May 1, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>The United States engage with Minsk to secure the release of Belarusian dissidents identified by rights defenders and pro-democracy forces, opposition politician Franak Via\u010dorka has told Pozirk.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why our influence here is direct,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the negotiations themselves are led by the Americans, US Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Smith, who are making progress. No one could do it better than them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upcoming Coale\u2019s visit to Minsk this month is a rather sensitive issue, added Via\u010dorka, who serves as an aide to Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja. Washington\u2019s goal is to \u201cget everyone out of prison\u201d and the Americans are \u201cdetermined\u201d and \u201cconfident that they will succeed,\u201d he said, noting that Minsk frees regime critics after every visit by the US diplomats. Via\u010dorka was optimistic that these efforts would result in the release of all jailed dissidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 28, Coale announced his upcoming visit to Belarus, noting he hoped to secure the release of additional prisoners in May in exchange for possible sanctions relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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