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Belarusian opposition chief and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski was launched on June 21, shortly after dictator Alexander Lukashenko met in Minsk with U.S. President Donald Trump's particular envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.

Tsikhanouski , a well-liked blogger who deliberate to problem Lukashenko within the 2020 presidential election, was arrested shortly earlier than the vote and later sentenced to 18 years in jail on politically motivated fees. Amnesty Worldwide acknowledged Tsikhanouski as a prisoner of conscience.

His spouse, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, stepped in and have become the primary opposition candidate towards Lukashenko.

At the least 13 political detainees, together with outstanding blogger Ihar Losik, had been additionally launched on June 21, Belarusian impartial outlet Nasha Niva reported.

The opposite launched prisoners embody three Polish residents, two Latvian residents, one Estonian citizen, a Swedish citizen, a U.S. citizen, and two Japanese residents, in accordance with Lukashenko's press secretary.

In a put up on social media, Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the information however highlighted that "1,150 political prisoners stay behind bars."

Kellogg's deputy, John Coale, stated the launched political prisoners had been transferred to Vilnius and expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian authorities for facilitating their relocation.

"President Trump's robust management led to the discharge of 14 prisoners from Belarus right now. Because of the Lithuanian authorities for its cooperation and help — they continue to be a real buddy and ally," Coale wrote on X.

Based on official outcomes of the 2020 election, Lukashenko received with 80% of the vote, whereas Tsikhanouskaya obtained simply 10%. Proof signifies that the election was closely rigged, and Tsikhanouskayacould have realistically received the vote.

In consequence, tons of of hundreds took to the streets in Belarus in 2020 to demand a good election. 1000’s had been arrested, and lots of had been crushed and tortured. At the least seven demonstrators had been killed throughout the protests.

Minsk has confronted repeated Western sanctions for the reason that brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Lukashenko, in energy since 1994, is a detailed ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has allowed Russia to make use of Belarusian territory for navy operations towards Ukraine.

"You might have brought on fairly a stir on the planet along with your arrival," Lukashenko informed Kellogg throughout their assembly on the Palace of Independence, in accordance with state-run outlet Belta.

"However I’m wondering why. Can't we now have a standard dialogue and discuss our affairs – about relations between Belarus and the USA of America?"

Kellogg is the highest-ranking U.S. official to go to Belarus lately, following former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 journey beneath Trump's first time period.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lukashenko's regime has performed a key logistical function in supporting Moscow's marketing campaign, providing its territory for troop deployments and weapons stockpiles.

Russia ‘afraid to admit’ scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers’ bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky saysUkrainian authorities have confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy