"No man left behind! 52 prisoners safely crossed the Lithuanian border from Belarus today, leaving behind barbed wire, barred windows and constant fear, he wrote on X. US President Donald Trump had called on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to release detainees whom the US leader has described as hostages. Belarus later confirmed their release."
"But it was far short of the 1,300 or 1,400 prisoners whose release Trump had called for in a conversation with Lukashenko last month, as well as in subsequent social media posts. Those released include Ihar Losik, 33, a journalist sentenced in 2021 to 15 years in a penal colony on charges of inciting hatred and organising riots, the Belarus affairs section of the US embassy in Vilnius said."
Belarus released 52 prisoners who crossed into Lithuania after mediation by the United States and a US promise of sanctions relief. Washington agreed to ease sanctions on Belarus's national airline, Belavia, allowing it to service and buy components for its fleet. The prisoners’ arrival in Lithuania drew relatives, friends and journalists near the US Embassy in Vilnius. The release was the largest pardoning by President Alexander Lukashenko as he seeks to repair ties with the West but fell short of the 1,300–1,400 detainees US President Donald Trump had urged to be freed. Among those released is journalist Ihar Losik, sentenced in 2021.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]