Belarus has released 25 prisoners as part of an agreement with the United States to lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies, officials said Wednesday. The announcement came shortly after John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. Coale described the release as an “interim deal” and a demonstration of goodwill, with further prisoner releases and sanctions relief expected once additional terms are finalized.
The two companies removed from the U.S. sanctions list are Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom. Coale expressed optimism about continuing diplomatic engagement and thanked both Lukashenko and Lithuanian authorities for their cooperation. The freed prisoners were expected to be taken to neighboring Lithuania, a European Union member.
Among those released were several journalists and media managers, including Liudmila Chekina, former head of the now-defunct news website Tut.by, and Andrei Aliaksandrau. Other notable individuals included activists and political prisoners detained over the past several years amid a significant crackdown on dissent. Belarusian human rights groups reported that some freed prisoners had their passports confiscated, a measure critics described as forced deportation.
The move follows a series of similar arrangements orchestrated during the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to office recently. Since that time, substantial U.S.-mediated deals have facilitated the release of hundreds of political prisoners in Belarus, often in exchange for easing or lifting targeted sanctions. In March, 250 political prisoners were released in return for lifting sanctions on Belarusian financial institutions and state-owned enterprises. Another deal in April resulted in the release of a prominent journalist in an exchange with Poland.
Despite the latest release, opposition figures caution that the broader situation remains challenging. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader in exile, welcomed the prisoners’ freedom but emphasized that many others remain imprisoned. She characterized Lukashenko’s use of detainees as “bargaining chips” and warned against interpreting the releases as signs of broader political reform. Human rights organizations estimate that approximately 887 political prisoners continue to be held in Belarus.
Belarus, an ally of Russia, has faced extensive international sanctions due to its government’s repression of dissent and its support for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. President Lukashenko has ruled the country since 1994 and has systematically cracked down on opposition following disputed elections, particularly the widely contested 2020 presidential vote. Mass protests carried out after that election were met with detentions and police violence, prompting many opposition leaders and activists to flee or be imprisoned.
The ongoing negotiations and prisoner releases represent a complex interplay between diplomatic engagement and continued political repression, with both Belarusian authorities and the United States signaling a desire to improve relations while addressing human rights concerns.