Belarus Releases 25 Prisoners After US Talks

Belarus releases prisoners in a new agreement with the United States after President Alexander Lukashenko met with U.S. special envoy John Coale in Minsk, with 25 people freed as Washington agreed to further ease sanctions against two Belarusian companies.

The development was announced on Wednesday, September 16, following talks between Coale and Lukashenko the previous day. The agreement represents another step in a series of U.S.-mediated negotiations focused on the release of people held in Belarusian prisons.

Coale said the latest arrangement was an interim agreement and indicated that further prisoner releases and additional sanctions relief could follow. Reuters reported that he expects to return to Belarus within about a month for further negotiations.

Belarus Releases Prisoners in New Agreement

According to Reuters, Belarus agreed to release 25 prisoners as part of the latest understanding with Washington.

The U.S., meanwhile, agreed to lift sanctions on two Belarusian state-linked companies, Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom. The move adds another economic element to negotiations that have increasingly linked sanctions relief with the release of detainees.

Coale said the two sides had made significant progress during the discussions in Minsk. He also expressed hope that substantially more prisoners could be released during his next visit.

The latest agreement follows earlier negotiations in which the United States sought the release of political detainees while gradually easing certain sanctions imposed on Belarus.

Who Was Among Those Released?

The group included journalists, media managers and other people who had spent long periods in detention.

Those identified among the released prisoners included media managers Andrei Aliaksandrau and Liudmila Chekina, as well as journalists Dzmitry Navazhylau and Kiryl Pazniak, according to reporting from the Associated Press.

The released prisoners were subsequently seen arriving in neighboring Lithuania.

Human rights advocates welcomed the releases but said they should be viewed in the context of the much larger number of people still detained in Belarus.

More Than 800 Political Prisoners Remain

Despite the latest releases, rights groups say hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars.

The Viasna human rights center, which is banned in Belarus, puts the number at 887 political prisoners. Reuters reported that the group has documented more than 900 detainees in recent assessments, reflecting changes in the list as people are released or newly detained.

The Belarusian government disputes the characterization of detainees as political prisoners.

Lukashenko has rejected claims that his government is using political prisoners as bargaining tools. He has also disputed accusations that authorities are systematically replacing people who are released with newly detained opponents.

The competing descriptions illustrate the broader disagreement between the Belarusian authorities and human rights organizations over the nature and scale of political repression in the country.

US Sanctions Relief Expands

The latest agreement also demonstrates how sanctions have become part of Washington’s negotiations with Minsk.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Belarus over human rights concerns and the government’s support for Russia, including its role in allowing Russian forces to use Belarusian territory during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Under previous agreements, Washington has already eased some restrictions after Belarus released significant numbers of prisoners.

In March, for example, a U.S.-brokered agreement resulted in the release of 250 political prisoners. In return, Washington eased sanctions affecting Belarusian financial institutions and major potash producers.

Another agreement in April involved the release of prominent journalist Andrzej Poczobut, along with other detainees.

The latest deal therefore continues an approach in which prisoner releases and economic restrictions are discussed together.

Coale Plans Another Visit to Belarus

The U.S. envoy said he intends to return to Belarus within roughly a month.

Coale has indicated that the next round of negotiations could involve the release of hundreds more prisoners. He has also suggested that further sanctions relief could accompany additional progress.

Reuters reported that Coale remains optimistic about the possibility of securing more releases before the end of the year.

The timing of another visit could make the next stage of negotiations important for both sides.

For Washington, prisoner releases remain a central issue in its renewed engagement with Minsk. For the Belarusian government, sanctions relief has been an important part of discussions about improving economic relations with the United States.

Opposition Welcomes Releases but Calls for More

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the release of the 25 prisoners while emphasizing that many others remain detained.

She has previously urged Western governments to maintain pressure on Minsk and called for the release of all political prisoners.

Tsikhanouskaya also argued that the recent releases should not be interpreted as evidence that repression has ended.

Her comments reflect the position of Belarusian opposition groups and human rights organizations that continue to document arrests and prosecutions inside the country.

What Comes Next

The release of 25 prisoners marks another development in the ongoing diplomatic engagement between Washington and Minsk.

The immediate agreement involves a limited number of detainees and sanctions affecting two Belarusian companies. However, U.S. officials are already discussing the possibility of a much larger release in the coming weeks.

For Belarus, the negotiations offer a channel for seeking additional sanctions relief and improved relations with Washington. For the United States, the prisoner releases provide a mechanism for addressing the detention of political opponents, journalists and activists.

Whether the talks lead to hundreds of additional releases remains to be seen.

For now, the latest agreement has resulted in 25 people leaving Belarusian prisons, while hundreds more remain detained according to rights groups. Further negotiations between the United States and Belarus are expected as Washington continues its diplomatic engagement with Lukashenko’s government.