BELARUS has freed 123 prisoners, including well-known opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, after the United States agreed to reduce sanctions against the country. The release happened after discussions in Minsk with John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus under President Donald Trump.
 |
| Reuters |
Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski was also among those released. The U.S. agreed to ease sanctions on potash, a vital ingredient in fertilizers and a major export for Belarus, which is a close partner of Russia. Coale mentioned that more sanctions relief might come as ties between the two nations improve.
Kolesnikova, who had been in prison since 2020 and often kept in solitary confinement, felt a huge sense of happiness after being released.
She talked about the joy of regaining freedom but also noted that many others are still in jail.
Ukrainian officials stated that Kolesnikova and 113 other former prisoners were sent to Ukraine for medical care.
Ukraine plans to move them to Poland and Lithuania later, which is a significant humanitarian step amid ongoing conflicts in the region.