{"id":202388,"date":"2026-09-04T01:08:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T22:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/202388\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T01:08:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T22:08:43","slug":"cichanouskaja-hopeful-that-more-political-prisoners-will-be-released-in-coming-weeks","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/202388\/","title":{"rendered":"Cichano\u016dskaja hopeful that more political prisoners will be released in coming weeks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

September 3, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarusian pro-democracy leader Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja said that the next group of political prisoners would hopefully be released in the next few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are working closely with our American partners on the humanitarian track launched by President Donald Trump and his Special Envoy John Coale,\u201d she said in an interview with Lithuania\u2019s 15min. \u201cWe hope that the next group of people will be freed in the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dskaja said that she \u201ccannot disclose all the details\u201d and does not know whether most of those released will remain in Belarus or \u201cbe forced into exile.\u201d \u201cUntil the very end, this is always unclear,\u201d she said. \u201cBut the very fact that people have no choice, to stay in the country or leave it, is an imposition by the regime. Of course, this cannot be called freedom of choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dskaja said that pro-democracy forces \u201cwelcome every step the regime takes\u201d toward the release of political prisoners but stressed that it \u201csolely due to pressure\u201d and not Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s \u201chumanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dskaja called for an end to all repression, warning that \u201cwhile some people are freed, twice as many are arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with Voice of America <\/em>published on August 29, John Coale said that expects to secure the release of up to 300 Belarusian political prisoners by mid-September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coale said that he plans to visit Belarus again soon and hopes that Washington\u2019s efforts would help bring the number of people freed to 1000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, more than 400 political prisoners have been released as a result of talks between Minsk and Washington. In exchange, the United States is gradually lifting sanctions against the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, Washington has dropped its restrictive measures against Bie\u0142investbank, the Development Bank of Belarus, the Ministry of Finance, the Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij potash giant and Belarusian Potash Company, and Belarus\u2019 national airline Bie\u0142avija.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his last meeting with a US delegation led by Coale on March 19, \u0141uka\u0161enka ordered the release of 250 political prisoners, of whom 235 were allowed to stay in Belarus and 15 were taken to Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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