Lukashenko pardoned 32 convicts, including 28 political prisoners
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, decided to pardon 32 citizens on the eve of the country’s Independence Day.
Among those released, 28 had been convicted of so-called “extremist crimes,” and the total number of those granted amnesty includes 20 women and 12 men.
Lukashenko’s press service explains this move as being based solely on humanitarian considerations regarding the convicts themselves and their families.
The official statement reads: “The decision was made based on the principle of humanity toward the convicts and their families. All of them petitioned for a pardon, admitting their guilt and expressing remorse.”
However, the “Viasna” Human Rights Center points to a shift in the strategy of the country’s repressive apparatus over the past six years.
Pavel Sapelko, an expert at the center, notes that instead of mass street detentions and show trials, the authorities have shifted to tactics of covert pressure, which have become much more difficult to track.
Sapelo describes the current situation in Belarus’s legal system in detail, noting: “While in 2020–2021, repression was overt, with mass arrests on the streets and high-profile trials intended simply to intimidate society, by 2026 the system had shifted to a tactic of ‘covert repression.’ This means that everything appears calm, but in reality, the pressure remains just as intense, albeit invisible. The authorities have created a veritable information blockade: they have classified statistics on “extremist” cases, are conducting closed-door trials on a massive scale, are issuing in absentia sentences, and are silencing lawyers and relatives through non-disclosure agreements and intimidation.”
Lukashenko declared unity with Ukraine and contacts with Zelenskyy’s representatives
Lukashenko flew to meet with Putin on the day Zelenskyy’s ultimatum regarding retransmitters expired
