Belarus has released 123 prisoners following an agreement with the United States to lift sanctions on the country, marking the largest mass release since Minsk began renewed contacts with Washington this year.
Among those freed are Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, as well as prominent opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, a key leader of the 2020 protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. The releases were authorized on Saturday after talks in Minsk between Lukashenko and John Coale, the US president’s special envoy on Belarus, according to the BBC.
In return, the United States agreed to remove sanctions on Belarusian potash, one of the country’s main export commodities and a critical component in global fertilizer production. Belarus is among the world’s leading producers of potash.
US envoy Coale said further sanctions relief could follow as bilateral relations continue to normalize. “As relations improve, more sanctions may be lifted,” he was quoted as saying.
Bialiatski, co-winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, had been imprisoned since July 2021 after years of campaigning for the rights of political detainees in Belarus. Kolesnikova, who played a central role in the mass protests following the disputed 2020 presidential election, was also among those released.
Kolesnikova’s sister, Tatiana Khomich, who has led an international campaign for her freedom, confirmed the release to the BBC after speaking to her by video call. “She is free, she looks well and seems healthy,” Khomich said, adding that her sister is eager to reunite with family.
A group of the freed prisoners is expected to travel soon to Vilnius, Lithuania, where supporters have begun gathering outside the US embassy.
The deal is being seen as a diplomatic success for Lukashenko and a potential step toward easing Belarus’s international isolation. The United States, like the European Union, has not recognized Lukashenko as the legitimate president since the disputed 2020 election. However, Washington’s move signals a notable shift, contrasting with the EU’s continued policy of sanctions and political pressure.
Western sanctions were significantly tightened after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, using Belarusian territory to move troops and fire missiles. US officials said discussions with Lukashenko also touched on the Ukraine war and the role Minsk could play in potential talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The sanctions rollback on potash is expected to take effect immediately, Belarusian state media reported, potentially easing pressure on the country’s economy and reshaping diplomatic dynamics in Eastern Europe.
