Overview
- Those freed include Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski, opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, and Japanese national Masatoshi Nakanishi.
- Nine people, including Bialiatski and Nakanishi, were received in Lithuania, while 114 traveled to Ukraine.
- Belarus state agency Belta said the pardons came at President Trump’s request and were linked to easing restrictions on the potash sector.
- U.S. envoys met Alexander Lukashenko on December 12–13, and a U.S. negotiator signaled that roughly 1,000 additional political prisoners could be released in the coming months.
- Japan’s embassy confirmed the release of its nationals and reported no health concerns, as newly freed opposition figures welcomed the step but stressed many prisoners remain.