Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 16 individuals convicted of various offences, including charges of "extremism", ahead of the country's Independence Day, state media reported on Wednesday.
According to human rights organisations and the exiled opposition, there are still around 1,150 political prisoners in Belarus. Lukashenko, a long-standing ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been in power for more than 30 years.
Over the past year, Lukashenko has released more than 300 people, seemingly as part of efforts to improve strained relations with the West, which has imposed sanctions on his regime due to its human rights abuses according to Amnesty Internaional, and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The latest pardons, reported by the state-run Belta news agency, include eight men and eight women- some of whom reportedly suffer from chronic illnesses, have disabilities, or are parents of young children.
Franak Viacorka, senior adviser to exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, welcomed the move but noted that no prominent dissidents appeared to be among those freed.
He pointed out that several people had been jailed for politically motivated reasons in recent weeks, suggesting there has been no meaningful shift in government policy. However, Viacorka expressed cautious optimism, citing the recent release of opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski after talks between Lukashenko and U.S. presidential envoy Keith Kellogg.
“We must keep pressing, and we urge President Trump to get involved — he has the influence to help secure more releases,” Viacorka told Reuters.
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The United States Embassy in Tashkent has confirmed that the issuance of Diversity Visas (DV) commonly referred to as Green Card visas has been suspen...
Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026, with nearly half of the population projected to require hu...
The Russian radio station known as 'Doomsday Radio' (or UVB-76) unexpectedly began playing ‘Swan Lake’, music from a ballet composition. The last ...
President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan ended 2025 as a year of peace, security and stability, stressing that unity between the people and the government remained the main factor behind the country’s achievements.
Almost seventeen years ago, in December 2008, I worked with a film crew shooting a documentary on the Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict for Al Jazeera English.
A tragic train collision near Machu Picchu, one of Peru's most iconic tourist destinations, has resulted in the death of a train driver and left at least 40 others injured. The incident occurred on Tuesday, when two trains collided head-on on the railway that leads to the ancient Inca citadel, which
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 31st of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The Russian radio station known as 'Doomsday Radio' (or UVB-76) unexpectedly began playing ‘Swan Lake’, music from a ballet composition. The last time this was done was during the deaths of Soviet-era leaders and the 1991 coup.
Protests in Iran over soaring prices and a plunging rial have spread to universities in Tehran, as students join shopkeepers and bazaar merchants in demanding government action. With inflation above 42% and the rial at record lows, unrest continues to grow across the country.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, rising casualties, economic struggles, and mounting unrest expose cracks in society. Despite Kremlin propaganda, frustration is growing as more Russians question the government’s narrative, according to The Washington Post.
The head of Yemen’s Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, has ordered all forces linked to the United Arab Emirates to leave Yemen within 24 hours.
European leaders held talks on Ukraine after Russia said it would revise its negotiating position, citing an alleged Ukrainian drone attack that Kyiv has firmly denied.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that Tehran’s answer to any aggression will be decisive and “discouraging” and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged his counterparts to strongly denounce US President Donald Trump’s recent threat of military strike against Iran.
The United States Embassy in Tashkent has confirmed that the issuance of Diversity Visas (DV) commonly referred to as Green Card visas has been suspended, although applicants may continue to submit applications and attend interviews, according to an official embassy statement.
Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026, with nearly half of the population projected to require humanitarian assistance, according to a new report published by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The Russian radio station known as 'Doomsday Radio' (or UVB-76) unexpectedly began playing ‘Swan Lake’, music from a ballet composition. The last time this was done was during the deaths of Soviet-era leaders and the 1991 coup.
Türkiye will never tolerate coercion, piracy, or banditry in its maritime “blue homeland,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
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