Belarusian leader Lukashenko grants clemency to 30 individuals with political backgrounds.
Belarusian leader Lukashenko frees another batch of political prisoners, totaling 30 individuals. The group consists of 7 females and 23 males, with several being parents to minors. As per the official statement, these individuals petitioned for clemency, confessed to their wrongdoings, showed remorse, and pledged to live lawfully moving forward. The Interior Ministry will apparently oversee this commitment. However, these details regarding the legal procedure are not independently confirmed.
Criticizing the ongoing political repression, torture, and violation of human rights in Belarus, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the exiled opposition leader, expressed her relief over the release of 30 more political prisoners. However, she emphasized that over 1400 individuals continue to languish behind bars for political motives. According to the human rights organization, Viasna, the number of prosecutions appears to be on the rise, rather than declining. At least 170 people were convicted in July itself for politically driven offenses.
In mid-August, 30 political prisoners were reportedly pardoned in Belarus as well. Russian exile media outlet "Meduza" disclosed that the opposition in exile had previously provided details of critically ill prisoners to the Minsk government through intermediaries. Several individuals featured on this list were granted clemency.
Post the 2020 presidential election marred by accusations of electoral fraud, Tikhanovskaya was acknowledged as the victor. Her husband, along with opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, were apprehended, and their whereabouts remain a mystery. Following Lukashenko's proclaimed win, mass protests ensued. Since then, the 70-year-old leadership has tightened its grip on protesters and opponents, intensifying the crackdown.
The following group of 30 political prisoners, including parents of minors, was recently granted clemency by Belarusian leader Lukashenko. Despite this, critic Svetlana Tikhanovskaya notes that over 1400 individuals still remain imprisoned for political reasons.
