A Little Respite

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Belarus freed thousands of prisoners this month as part of a rare amnesty by President Alexander Lukashenko, a release that comes four years after the authoritarian leader launched a brutal crackdown following the 2020 presidential elections, Radio Free Europe reported.

Last week, the government announced that Lukashenko signed an amnesty bill that will affect 7,850 individuals. Under the bill, more than 2,090 people will be released, 800 will have the remainder of their suspended sentences commuted, and 4,550 others will have their terms cut by one year.

Lukashenko said those who are “seriously ill, mainly persons with cancer,” will be eligible for early release.

Among the released are five political prisoners, including Rygor Kastusev who ran against Lukashenko in the 2010 presidential election.

He was convicted in 2022 of conspiracy to seize power and sentenced to 10 years in prison. While in prison, he was diagnosed with cancer.

In 2020, mass protests erupted across Belarus after Lukashenko – who has been in power since 1994 – was declared the winner of that year’s presidential election. Protesters and opposition leaders claimed the election was rigged, prompting weeks of demonstrations against the longtime leader.

Belarusian authorities launched a violent crackdown on demonstrators, arresting thousands and forcing others into exile.

While human rights advocates and opposition leaders welcomed the releases, they warned that many others remain behind bars, the BBC noted.

The human rights group Viasna estimates that there are still more than 1,400 political prisoners held in Belarus. More than 250 of them are suffering from serious medical conditions or disabilities, according to the organization.

Meanwhile, Lukashenko warned that the amnesty will not apply “to persons involved in extremist and terrorist activities.” Since the crackdown four years ago, Belarusian authorities have added more than 4,000 people to the registry of extremists.

Before the 2020 polls and protests, Lukashenko had tried to maintain relations with the West and Russia, with observers noting that he would release political prisoners to thaw relations with the European Union.

However, he has become more reliant on Russia and tightened his grip on power after Western nations refused to recognize him as the country’s legitimate leader and issued sanctions against his regime.