Chancellor Scholz: release of Belarusian political prisoners still important

August 2, Pozirk. The German federal government will continue to seek the release of all those unjustly imprisoned in Russian and Belarusian prisons because of their political position, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told journalists, commenting on yesterday’s prisoner swap with Russia.
The politician arrived at Cologne-Bonn airport to meet the plane carrying Russian political prisoners and others released as part of a deal with the Kremlin on August 1.
Rico Krieger, a German national sentenced to death in Belarus and pardoned by Alaksandar Łukašenka last month, was among them, yet not a single Belarusian political prisoner was included in the swap. Their release remains an important goal, Scholz stressed.
Berlin urges Moscow and Minsk to release all those unjustly arrested on political grounds, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the German government, said earlier.
BNR Rada on prisoner swap: US, European leaders ignored Belarusians' suffering
- PoliticsReprisals: jailed media managers among dozens branded “extremists”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Security, SocietyAir raid alert in Lithuania’s Vilnius county near Belarus borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja looking for ideas ahead of New Belarus ConferenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus wood pellet industry in deep crisis following EU sanctions and failed evasion attempts, report saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyPole gets 30 months in prison for smuggling Belarusian cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityEnding Ukraine war hinges on several people, Łukašenka saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society, SportUkraine urges 30 international federations to maintain restrictions on Belarusian athletesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsHouse of Representatives approves ratification bill for agreement with Togo on visa-free travel for officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus to repair road at Bieniakoni checkpoint until July – border committeeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsLithuania's top diplomat pushes for EU sanctions on Łukašenka's regimeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, SocietyPoland cracks down on cigarette smuggling ring linked to BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka seeks expanded ties, visa facilitation with PhilippinesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk blames EU sanctions for irregular migration crisis since 2021The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsReprisals: KGB intensifies raids on blacklisted university’s alumni and familiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyŁukašenka allocates $1.2 million for restoring Orthodox monastery, $94,000 landmark Catholic churchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyŁukašenka tells media newly appointed official to keep up propagandaThe material is available only to POZIRK+



