Belarus’ Prisoner Release a Political Diversion, Say Human Rights Activists

Minsk, October 15, 2025 — The Belarusian government’s recent announcement of releasing several political prisoners has drawn skepticism from human rights organizations, who describe the move as a calculated attempt to deflect international pressure rather than a genuine step toward reform.

State media reported earlier this week that President Alexander Lukashenko had signed an order granting clemency to over two dozen detainees, many of whom were arrested during the mass protests that followed the disputed 2020 presidential election. The release was presented as part of a so-called “national reconciliation effort,” coinciding with talks between Belarusian officials and European Union representatives in Vienna.

However, rights groups and independent observers say the gesture is largely symbolic. “This is not justice—it’s a PR exercise,” said Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Centre. “Hundreds of prisoners remain behind bars in appalling conditions, and none of the systemic abuses have stopped. The government wants headlines, not accountability.”

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, at least 1,200 people are still imprisoned on politically motivated charges, including activists, journalists, and opposition leaders. Many of those released this week were serving short sentences or nearing the end of their terms, further fueling accusations that the move was orchestrated to win diplomatic concessions from Western powers.

The timing of the release has raised particular suspicion among European diplomats. The European Union has been considering limited engagement with Minsk in light of Belarus’ recent role in mediating humanitarian corridors along the Ukraine border. Analysts say Lukashenko’s government is using selective prisoner releases as bargaining chips to ease economic sanctions and regain partial access to frozen assets.

“This pattern is not new,” said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe. “We’ve seen the regime stage these releases whenever it seeks political leverage. True reform would mean allowing free media, ending torture in detention centers, and releasing all prisoners of conscience—not just a few chosen for show.”

Families of political detainees also expressed mixed emotions, celebrating the limited homecomings while demanding the release of others. “I’m happy my husband is free, but we can’t call this justice while so many remain in prison,” said the wife of a recently released activist in a statement to independent Belarusian outlet Nexta.

Meanwhile, Western governments have cautiously welcomed the releases but reiterated calls for broader change. In a joint statement, the EU and the U.S. State Department emphasized that “token gestures do not substitute for meaningful human rights improvements.”

Belarus continues to face widespread condemnation for its suppression of dissent, restrictions on free press, and close alignment with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Despite international isolation, Lukashenko remains entrenched in power, with opposition figures either jailed, exiled, or silenced under threat.

As global attention briefly turns toward Minsk, human rights defenders warn that without sustained international pressure, the latest prisoner release will fade into the long history of Belarusian political theater. “Every time the regime needs legitimacy, it opens the prison gates slightly,” said Bialiatski. “Real change begins only when it stops filling them in the first place.”