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Belarusian regime pardons another group of prisoners

30.12.2025 10:30
Belarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, has signed a decree pardoning another group of prisoners, most of whom were convicted on what the authorities describe as “extremism” charges, according to the Belarusian state news agency BelTA.
The Belarusian state news agency BelTA reports that President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree pardoning another group of prisoners, most of whom were convicted on charges the authorities describe as extremism.
The Belarusian state news agency BelTA reports that President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree pardoning another group of prisoners, most of whom were convicted on charges the authorities describe as “extremism.” Photo courtesy of Volnyja Pashtouki, an initiative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s office

The move, announced on Tuesday, 30 December, applies to several dozen people, including 15 women and seven men. Eleven of them are parents of young children. Their identities have not been disclosed.

Belarusian officials said all of those pardoned had formally applied for clemency, admitted guilt, and expressed remorse - a condition routinely required by the authorities for release.

The statement noted that the decision by the authorities in Minsk to grant the pardons was made by Lukashenko for humanitarian reasons and in the interests of the prisoners’ families, taking into account positive assessments of the individuals involved.

In December, following talks involving a US delegation, Belarusian authorities released 123 political prisoners, and in September, 52 more were freed.

As noted by Volnyja Pashtouki, an initiative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office, "another 1,000 political prisoners remain behind bars - they all must be released."

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Source: PAP/BelTA/X/@v_pashtouki