KGB recruits political prisoners released on pardon – activists

September 28, Pozirk. The Committee for State Security (KGB) forcibly recruits former political prisoners on a mass scale, the Dissidentby human rights group reported yesterday.
The report concerns those released on pardon in 2024. Agents “insist that they sign a number of papers and agree to star in propaganda videos, and also forbid them to leave the country.”
The committee threatens new charges and pressure on families to coerce them into spying on the pro-democracy movement, according to the report. The KGB tells them to contact foundations and other groups with the purpose of extracting any information that can damage the opposition, it added.
Often, agents install spyware on their mobile phones “enabling regime agents to carry out intelligence activities online.”
Alaksandar Łukašenka has pardoned 115 people since July 3.
On August 16, he signed an edict pardoning 37 people sentenced for “extremist” crimes. Similarly, 30 people were pardoned on September 4 and 30 more on August 16.
In early July, human rights defenders reported the release of 18 political prisoners after Łukašenka had announced a pardon for his critically-ill opponents.
According to Supreme Court Chairman Valancin Sukała, 14 were released after the aforementioned announcement.
Today, there are 1,329 designated political prisoners in Belarus.
Seven more political prisoners added to Viasna list
- Society, SportHigh jumper Žodzik among top six athletes rated by Polish sports expertsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish president to meet Belarusian diaspora leadersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, SecurityPoland extends restrictions on acceptance asylum requests for another 60 daysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyGeorgia expels five Belarusian men in nine months of 2025The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLate journalist Miełkazioraŭ among outstanding figures honored by United Transitional CabinetThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLuxembourg, Latvia, Norway contributed €530,000 in 2025 to help Belarusian regime's victimsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus seeks resumption of direct air services with TurkmenistanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyNuclear plant’s Unit 2 reconnected to grid after planned maintenanceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityOfficials discussing paramilitary role for Financial Investigations DepartmentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityCol. Iljukievič appointed as commander of Special Operations ForcesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- SocietyLithuanian border guards detained 11 wanted Belarusians in 2025The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPoland prevents five attempts by undocumented migrants to cross border from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsInterior ministry labels 26 as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyPolish Border Guard reports four seizures of cigarettes flown in from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyContraband cigarette seizures in Lithuania tripled in 2025 – border guardsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- SocietyInterior minister orders deployment of heavy equipment for snow removalThe material is available only to POZIRK+



