Belarus Begins New Pardon Round for Political Prisoners After US Envoy Talks

Belarus has launched a new round of pardons for political prisoners, the human rights group Viasna said on Wednesday, following discussions between President Alexander Lukashenko and United States envoy John Coale.

According to Viasna, the families of several prisoners were informed that they could pick up their relatives from penal colonies on Wednesday morning.

The development marks the latest in a series of releases amid ongoing contacts between Minsk and Washington. The talks between Lukashenko and Coale preceded the latest pardons, though further details of the discussions were not immediately available.

Viasna, which monitors political repression in Belarus, has documented previous waves of pardons. The group's account indicates that the current round involves multiple prisoners whose relatives have been given collection instructions.

The identities of those being released and the total number of pardons in this round have not been disclosed. Belarusian authorities have not publicly commented on the matter.