Belarus has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens as part of a diplomatic agreement between President Alexander Lukashenko and United States President Donald Trump, state television announced on Saturday, November 22.
Presidential spokeswoman Natalia Eismont confirmed the individuals, who were not publicly identified, had been convicted of various criminal offences in Belarus. Their release was initiated at Ukraine’s request and formed part of broader negotiations aimed at easing tensions surrounding the ongoing Russia Ukraine war.
“The president has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens who committed criminal offences on the territory of our country,” Eismont said, noting the move stemmed from agreements reached between the two leaders. She added that the decision was intended to help create conditions for the settlement of the armed conflict in the neighbouring state.
The pardoned Ukrainians were being handed over to Kyiv immediately, according to the spokeswoman. Eismont also confirmed that two Catholic priests were pardoned separately at the request of Pope Francis, taking into account several humanitarian appeals addressed to the Belarusian president.
As part of the wider diplomatic arrangement, Washington has partially lifted sanctions on Belarus’s state airline Belavia, allowing it to service and obtain parts for its Boeing aircraft. This represents a notable concession for Minsk, which has faced heavy Western sanctions in recent years.
The Trump administration has been pushing Belarus to release political prisoners in its contacts with Lukashenko, who has ruled the country since 1994 and suppressed free media and political opposition. Eismont noted that Minsk remains in an active phase of negotiations with the United States.
Belarus has long faced criticism for imprisoning political opponents, journalists, and activists under what human rights groups describe as extremism charges. Although Lukashenko has released several hundred dissidents since mid 2024, the Viasna Human Rights Centre reports that more than 1,100 political prisoners remain in Belarusian jails. High profile detainees still behind bars include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition politician Maria Kalesnikava.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
