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Lukashenko pardons 20 prisoners

2024-12-28 13:37:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka

Authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has extended the wave of pardons ahead of the presidential elections to be held in January in Belarus. He ordered the release of 20 prisoners accused of extremism, charges that his opponents and rights groups say are politically motivated.

According to Lukashenka's media office, the presidential pardon decisions were made on humanitarian grounds, as the office said 14 of those ordered to be released have chronic illnesses and ten of them have children. It was also said that 11 of the 20 released persons are women.

That office claimed that all the prisoners had demanded that Lukashenka issue a presidential pardon and had expressed remorse, claims that could not be independently verified. It was also said that the authorities will "monitor their behavior after release".

Since July, Lukashenka has pardoned more than 225 people, who activists consider political prisoners. Human rights groups have labeled almost 3,600 people as political prisoners since the state launched a massive crackdown after pro-democracy protests erupted as Lukashenka - in power since 1994 - claimed to have won the 2020 presidential election. that millions believe were thrown out through electoral fraud.

Ahead of presidential elections on January 26, which are sure to give him another term, Lukashenka is aiming to show the West that he has softened his stance and given up on the crackdown the state has launched since the election. of the year 2020.

But the crackdown continues, as there are frequent arrests and trials in Belarus that activists say are on politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people considered political prisoners are in jail, but the real number is believed to be higher.

Lukashenka has brought Belarus closer to Russia and offered support to Russia's war against neighboring Ukraine, including allowing Russian forces to launch an invasion of Ukraine from Russian territory. Lukashenka said that Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus./REL