Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 15 prisoners on Thursday, days after meeting with an envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Envoy John Coale has negotiated with Lukashenko for over a year, securing the release of hundreds of opposition figures, activists, journalists, and lawyers in return for lifting select U.S. sanctions, The Independent reported.
The banned human rights group Viasna reports that 883 political prisoners remain in Belarus, convicted on charges such as extremist activity, incitement to hatred, or insulting the president.
Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has ruled Belarus since 1994, denies holding political prisoners but has engaged with the Trump administration to lessen international isolation and gain sanctions relief.
Lukashenko’s office said the 15 pardoned individuals included 10 women, with 13 having “committed crimes of an extremist nature.” It noted the pardons followed requests for clemency and expressions of remorse.
The move reflects further progress toward Coale’s stated target of freeing all remaining detainees this year.