MINSK. – The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, pardoned 14 foreign prisoners, among them several convicted of espionage, and allowed the exit of the country from a total of 52. The measure occurred after receiving in Minsk a special envoy of the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Lukashenko described the 14 pardons, of those who have not transcended details, as a “gesture of good will” based on “principles of humanity”, according to sources cited by the official news agency Belta. In addition, they arose at Trump’s request and other international leaders.
In the group of pardoned there are Six citizens of Lithuania, Two of Latvia, two from Poland, two from Germany, one from France and one from the United Kingdom.
Lukashenko received an American representative, John Coale in Minsk, who revealed Trump’s interest in “normalizing” bilateral relations between the United States and Belarus. For this, Washington offered to withdraw the sanctions imposed on state airline Belavia and reopen the embassy.
The Belarusian leader did not spare praise towards the American president, whom he perceived “very worried” about what Washington usually describes as “hostages”, a term with which Americans are alluded to the Americans imprisoned abroad arbitrarily.
In addition, Alexander Lukashenko praised Trump’s mediating capacity and his role to complete “enough” conflicts. “No president of the United States has made so many efforts or so great to guarantee the peace of the entire planet,” he said.
Regarding the sanctions, the Belarusian president has been grateful, because “he will facilitate things”, but at the same time he has clarified that it is not “the main objective” of his government.
Border with Lithuania
The president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, reported on social networks that “52 prisoners have crossed the Lithuanian border safe from Belarus.” Nauseda “personally” thanked Trump’s mediation.
Although he admitted that “52 are many,” he acknowledged that in the Belaruse prisons still “more than a thousand political prisoners.”
The main opposition leader, Svetlana Tijanovskaya, confirmed that the group of 52 is made up of the 14 pardoned foreigners and 38 citizens of Belarusian nationality, “deported immediately.”
Tijanovskaya is exiled from the repressive escalation of 2020.
