BELARUS FREES NOBEL LAUREATE BIALIATSKI IN SWAP FOR US SANCTIONS RELIEF. (PHOTO).

Belarus frees Nobel laureate Bialiatski in swap for US sanctions relief

 Belarus has released Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova from prison, human rights advocate Pavel Sapelka of the Viasna group confirmed. Their release coincides with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s efforts to improve ties with the United States. Earlier, Washington announced it was lifting sanctions on Belarus’s potash sector, and in return, Lukashenko pardoned 123 prisoners.

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has faced years of Western isolation and sanctions over human rights abuses and for allowing Russian military operations on its territory. Since July 2024, Minsk has released hundreds of prisoners as part of efforts to ease tensions with the West. U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale described recent talks in Minsk as “very productive” and said the countries are moving from “baby steps to more confident steps” toward normalizing relations. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Bialiatski’s wife, warned that while sanctions relief has led to prisoner releases, Lukashenko’s policies and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine remain unchanged, urging caution in future dealings. Discussions between Washington and Minsk also addressed Venezuela and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.