July 2, Pozirk. At least 33 political prisoners were released in June, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Twenty of them served their sentences in full and 13 were pardoned.
According to the human rights group, about 1,600 people have left correctional institutions since 2020 after completing their sentences.
Today, Belarus has 1,164 political prisoners, Viasna said. The number increases almost daily.
Among those freed in June were a former spokesman for the A1 mobile operator, Mikałaj Bredzieleŭ, and YouTube blogger Rusłan Lińnik.
A group of 14 people was released on June 21, after the US special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, met with Alaksandar Łukašenka.
The group included opposition politician Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, the husband of Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Ihar Karniej; prominent linguist Natalla Dulina; anarchist activist Akichira Hajeŭski-Chanada; dual Belarusian-Swedish citizen Halina Kraśnianskaja; and businessman Siarhiej Šelieh.
The others are opposition activist Kirył Bałachonaŭ, Estonian Allan Roio, Latvians Jurijs Gaņins and Dmitrijs Mihailovs and Pole Jerzy Żywolewski.
The names of three foreigners remain unconfirmed.
Earlier today, Alaksandar Łukašenka’s press office reported that the Belarusian leader pardoned 16 prisoners who had committed “various crimes, including extremism-related ones.”
