{"id":31541,"date":"2025-09-12T01:22:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T22:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=31541"},"modified":"2025-09-12T01:23:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T22:23:44","slug":"belarus-frees-52-political-prisoners-as-us-eases-sanctions-in-rare-diplomatic-breakthrough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/belarus-frees-52-political-prisoners-as-us-eases-sanctions-in-rare-diplomatic-breakthrough\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus frees 52 political prisoners as US eases sanctions in rare diplomatic breakthrough"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>5 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Belarus freed 52 political prisoners on September 11, 2025, in what officials described as the largest mass release in years, after direct mediation from the United States.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among those freed was veteran dissident Mikalai Statkevich, who had run for president in 2010 and spent more than a decade in detention across two separate sentences. Human rights groups also confirmed the release of Ihar Losik, a journalist sentenced in 2021 to 15 years for allegedly inciting hatred, and 14 foreign nationals from countries including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, and Latvia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The freed detainees, many of whom had been jailed for opposition activity, journalism, or human rights work, crossed the border into Lithuania with the support of a U.S. delegation. Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da hailed the moment as \u201ca day of freedom,\u201d posting on X that the prisoners had left behind \u201cbarbed wire, barred windows and constant fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, not all of those released accepted exile. Statkevich resisted deportation and refused to cross into Lithuania, standing in no-man\u2019s land at the border and insisting he would not allow Lukashenko to force him out. His defiance recalled the 2020 case of opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, who tore up her passport to avoid expulsion and later received an 11-year sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The U.S. embassy in Vilnius said it could not yet confirm whether internationally recognized opposition figures such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski were included in the group. Nearly 1,200 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, and U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly pressed for the release of at least 1,400 people he has called \u201chostages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">No man left behind! 52 prisoners safely crossed the Lithuanian border from Belarus today, leaving behind barbed wire, barred windows and constant fear. Among them, which is especially important to me, were 6 Lithuanians. I am deeply grateful to the United States and personally to\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PiYJMVL9VP\">pic.twitter.com\/PiYJMVL9VP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Gitanas Naus\u0117da (@GitanasNauseda) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GitanasNauseda\/status\/1966096794472849875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 11, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, speaking from exile, warned that the release represented only about 4 percent of those detained for political reasons. \u201cThis is a trade in human lives \u2013 people who should never have been imprisoned in the first place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Sanctions Relief for Belarus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In exchange for the release, Washington agreed to ease sanctions on Belarus\u2019s national airline, Belavia, allowing the state carrier to service and buy parts for its Boeing fleet. Belavia had been targeted by U.S. and European sanctions after Belarus forced down a commercial Ryanair flight in 2021 to arrest opposition journalist Raman Pratasevich. The easing marks the first major U.S. concession toward Minsk in years and underscores Lukashenko\u2019s attempt to end his country\u2019s economic isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump envoy John Coale, who led the negotiations, described the deal as a \u201cfirst step\u201d in broader talks. \u201cOur mission is to get them all out now,\u201d he told Reuters, expressing hope that the remaining political detainees would soon be freed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belarusian state news agency quoted Lukashenko as praising Trump\u2019s role and even suggesting the possibility of a \u201cglobal deal\u201d that could include reopening the U.S. embassy in Minsk. A letter from Trump to Lukashenko, signed simply \u201cDonald,\u201d was described by Coale as \u201ca rare act of personal friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The opposition has voiced concern that sanctions relief could provide a backdoor for Moscow, whose aviation industry has been heavily restricted by Western measures, to obtain aircraft components through Belavia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLifting sanctions without systemic changes in the country could open loopholes that both the Lukashenko regime and Russia will use,\u201d Tsikhanouskaya warned. Still, Lukashenko called the concession \u201cvery important\u201d and said it would \u201cmake it easier for us to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?resize=1016%2C551&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko meeting with U.S. President\u2019s representative John Coale\" class=\"wp-image-31543\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?resize=1024%2C555&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?resize=300%2C163&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?resize=768%2C416&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarusian-President-Lukashenko-with-US-President-representative-John-Coale.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko meeting with U.S. President\u2019s representative John Coale, in Minsk, Belarus, on September 11, 2025. (Image Credit: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The EU also welcomed the prisoner release. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed that an EU staff member was among those freed, thanking U.S. diplomats for their efforts. Yet European leaders echoed caution, stressing that sanctions on Belarus should remain until meaningful democratic reforms are introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Diplomatic Thaw Raises Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The exchange highlights a possible thaw between Washington and Minsk, despite Lukashenko\u2019s role as one of Moscow\u2019s closest allies. Belarus allowed Russian forces to use its territory as a launchpad for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though the Belarusian army has not directly entered the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The release came just a day after Poland shot down suspected Russian drones over its territory, some reportedly launched from Belarus. Against that backdrop, Trump\u2019s decision to reward Lukashenko with sanctions relief marks a calculated diplomatic gamble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Lukashenko, the move is part of a broader effort to regain access to Western markets and technology after years of sanctions crippled Belarus\u2019s economy. Over the past year, he has released several prominent detainees, including Tsikhanouskaya\u2019s husband, Siarhei, in an apparent attempt to win concessions from Washington and Brussels. By agreeing to free more prisoners, Lukashenko seeks to present himself as a negotiator capable of balancing ties between Moscow and the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Trump, the deal offers both a foreign policy win and an opening to engage a longtime pariah leader. The U.S. president has described Lukashenko as a \u201cvery respected man, strong person, strong leader,\u201d and said he looks forward to meeting him directly. That would mark a dramatic reversal from years of Western isolation of Belarus, especially following the brutal crackdown on mass protests after Lukashenko\u2019s disputed 2020 reelection.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?resize=1016%2C532&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko meeting with U.S. President\u2019s representative John Coale\" class=\"wp-image-31545\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?resize=1024%2C536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?resize=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?resize=768%2C402&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/US-Belarus-officials-meeting.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko meeting with U.S. President\u2019s representative John Coale, in Minsk, Belarus, on September 11, 2025. (Image Credit: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Critics argue that the gesture risks legitimizing an \u201cauthoritarian ruler who continues to suppress dissent and jail thousands.\u201d Human rights activists caution that Lukashenko has often used prisoner releases as bargaining chips without altering his policies. As Tsikhanouskaya put it, \u201cWe welcome their release, but in essence, this is a trade in human lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With around 1,200 political detainees still imprisoned, the deal appears more like the beginning of a long negotiation than its end. Whether the U.S. gamble will result in further concessions or simply strengthen Lukashenko\u2019s hand remains uncertain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Belarus freed 52 political prisoners on September 11, 2025, in largest mass release in years, after direct mediation from the United States. The freed detainees, many of whom had been jailed for opposition activity, journalism, or human rights work, crossed the border into Lithuania with the support of a U.S. delegation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31544,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[62,1,125],"tags":[147,208,24,357,537,161,71,107,702,7],"class_list":["post-31541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","category-news","category-united-states","tag-belarus","tag-diplomacy","tag-eu","tag-europe","tag-human-rights","tag-lithuania","tag-politics","tag-sanctions","tag-trump","tag-u-s"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Belarus-US-officials-meeting.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-8cJ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31541"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31555,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31541\/revisions\/31555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}