Belarus' authoritarian ruler pardons 29 political prisoners amid claims of ongoing repression

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, pardoned 29 political prisoners Monday amid what human rights groups describe as renewed oppression in the country.

Belarusian officials did not provide the names of those released but said that the group included 11 women and 18 men. More than half of those pardoned had disabilities and chronic illnesses.

“All of those released repented for their actions and appealed to the head of state to be pardoned,” the presidential administration said in a statement.

No prominent opposition figures, many of whom have not heard from for over a year, have been pardoned.

They include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who planned to challenge Lukashenko at the ballot box in 2020 but was jailed before the vote, and Viktar Babaryka, who was also imprisoned after gaining popularity before the election.

Other key figures, such as opposition activist Mikola Statkevich and lawyer Maxim Znak, who have had no contact with the outside world since the end of 2023, have also not been included.

The latest announcement marks the seventh group pardon by Lukashenko in the last six months. In all, 178 political prisoners have been freed, according to Belarusian human rights group Viasna. Most were jailed following mass anti-government protests in 2020, when Lukashenko secured his sixth term in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent.

The mass pardons come amid a new wave of repression as the authorities prepare to hold new presidential elections in January 2025, said Viasna spokesman Pavel Sapelka. “Lukashenko is sending contradictory signals to the West, with twice as many people put in prison has have been pardoned,” Sapelka said. “Repression in Belarus is still growing.”

The Belarusian authorities engineer harsh conditions for political prisoners, denying them meetings with lawyers and relatives, and depriving them of medical care. At least seven political prisoners have died behind bars since 2020, according to Viasna.

Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for more than 30 years, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, allowing Russia to use his country’s territory to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.