Belarus frees 123 political prisoners as U.S. lifts potash sanctions
Belarus pardoned 123 political prisoners — including Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski, opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova and figures such as Viktar Babaryka, Valiantsin Stefanovic, Uladzimir Labkovich and Maxim Znak — rights group Viasna said. The releases followed two days of talks in Minsk after which U.S. special envoy John Coale said Washington would lift sanctions on Belarus’s potash sector.
📌 Key Facts
- Belarus pardoned 123 prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, rights group Viasna reported (PBS News, Dec. 13, 2025).
- Other prominent figures among those freed include Viktar Babaryka, Viasna advocates Valiantsin Stefanovic and Uladzimir Labkovich, and opposition figure Maxim Znak.
- The U.S. lifted sanctions on Belarus’s potash sector after two days of talks in Minsk, U.S. special envoy John Coale said.
- Coale, quoted by state news agency Belta, said, 'We’re lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners,' and described the talks with President Alexander Lukashenko as 'very productive.'
- These developments were reported by PBS News in the article 'Belarus frees prominent political prisoners as U.S. lifts sanctions on country’s potash exports.'
📰 Sources (2)
Belarus frees prominent political prisoners as U.S. lifts sanctions on country’s potash exports
New information:
- Belarus pardoned 123 prisoners, including Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, according to rights group Viasna.
- U.S. sanctions on Belarus’s potash sector were lifted on Saturday, special envoy John Coale said after two days of talks with Lukashenko in Minsk.
- Additional prominent releases include Viktar Babaryka, Viasna advocates Valiantsin Stefanovic and Uladzimir Labkovich, and opposition figure Maxim Znak.
- Coale was quoted by Belta saying, “We’re lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners,” describing the talks as “very productive.”