Minsk: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 32 individuals convicted of extremism, as reported by the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel, which closely follows his activities.
Sixth Group of Pardons This Year
This marks the sixth round of pardons issued by Lukashenko since July. In office since 1994, Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term in January. Pul Pervogo revealed that the pardoned group includes eight women and 24 men, all of whom admitted guilt and formally requested clemency.
Among those pardoned, 17 individuals suffer from chronic illnesses, one is disabled, nine are aged over 50, and 17 have children. However, the identities of those pardoned remain undisclosed.
Mixed Reactions to the Pardons
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed cautious optimism on X, formerly known as Twitter: “It fills my heart with joy that another 32 political prisoners in Belarus are set to be released, including 17 with chronic illnesses & 9 over the age of 50. However, we must see the harsh reality: repression continues & the number of political prisoners keeps growing.”
Human rights groups estimate that over 1,200 political prisoners remain in detention, more than four years after Belarusian authorities cracked down on protesters contesting Lukashenko’s disputed 2020 election victory.
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Continued Repression
Lukashenko’s administration continues to face criticism for its repression of dissent. Prominent activists like Maria Kalesnikava remain behind bars. Kalesnikava was recently shown in a rare social media appearance meeting her father, following over a year of no public visibility.
The 2020 election, which saw Lukashenko claim his sixth term, triggered widespread protests accusing him of electoral fraud. Authorities responded with mass detentions, with human rights organizations reporting some 30,000 people were arrested during the unrest.
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Security Preparations for Upcoming Elections
In preparation for the upcoming presidential elections, Belarus’s Interior Ministry has announced police drills aimed at preventing “manifestations of extremism and terrorism”.
