Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 16 more prisoners, continuing his selective releases while also cracking down on dissent. Human rights advocates welcomed the pardons but noted that politically motivated arrests persist. Activists compare the situation to 'revolving doors,' as new arrests replace those freed.
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Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyThinking about taking a stab at IV therapy? Ask some questions firstGov. Newsom signs housing bill overhauling California's landmark environmental lawWorries about flying seem to be taking off. Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietySenate strikes AI regulatory ban from GOP bill after uproar from the statesThe Dalai Lama says he plans to reincarnate, ensuring the institution will continuePresidente de Bolivia recomienda vacunar a los niños contra el sarampión tras un broteSheinbaum objeta nuevo centro de detención para migrantes “Alcatraz de los caimanes” en EEUUEnfrentamientos entre cárteles en Sinaloa dejan 20 muertos, incluidos 4 cuerpos decapitadosLIVE Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyThinking about taking a stab at IV therapy? Ask some questions firstGov. Newsom signs housing bill overhauling California's landmark environmental lawWorries about flying seem to be taking off. Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietySenate strikes AI regulatory ban from GOP bill after uproar from the statesThe Dalai Lama says he plans to reincarnate, ensuring the institution will continuePresidente de Bolivia recomienda vacunar a los niños contra el sarampión tras un broteSheinbaum objeta nuevo centro de detención para migrantes “Alcatraz de los caimanes” en EEUUEnfrentamientos entre cárteles en Sinaloa dejan 20 muertos, incluidos 4 cuerpos decapitadosBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Forum in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, June 27, 2025. TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko announced pardons for 16 more prisoners on Wednesday, a gesture that comes as the unrelenting crackdown on dissent continues. The newly pardoned prisoners were convicted on a variety of criminal charges, including extremism — a charge often used against dissidents and government critics in Belarus. Human rights advocates welcomed the release of the prisoners, but stressed that it is taking place as more people are being arrested in politically driven cases. Last month, the Belarusian government pardoned and released 14 prisoners, but at least 60 more people were arrested on politically motivated charges, said Pavel Sapelka, a rights advocate with the Viasna human rights center, the country’s oldest and most prominent rights group. Sapelka, in conversation with The Associated Press, compared the situation in Belarus to “revolving doors, where new political prisoners take the place of those released.”Belarus keeps up crackdown on dissent even as authorities free some prisoners, rights group saysWimbledon: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Coco Gauff and Madison Keys lead the women’s field Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in protest, in the biggest demonstrations that the country had ever seen. Authorities unleashed a violent crackdown, detaining and beating thousands and driving many more into exile abroad. The suppression of dissent drew international condemnation, and the U.S. and the European Union imposed sanctions on Belarus. As of Wednesday, Viasna has designated 1,164 people behind bars as political prisoners. The number includes 38 journalists and the group’s founder,Lukashenko, who in January secured another term in office in another election the opposition denounced as a sham, has recently been pardoning some political prisoners, seeking to improve ties with the West. In total, he has pardoned and freed more than 300 prisoners since July 2024, including some U.S. citizens and other foreigners.and 13 others and brought them to Lithuania. Their release came just hours after Belarusian authorities announced that Lukashenko met with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Commenting on the high-profile release on Tuesday evening, Lukashenko said “God forbid” those freed last month died behind bars. “We would have been blamed for doing it to them,” he said. “So it’s politics.”Karmanau is an Associated Press journalist covering Belarus and the CIS countries. He has worked in Belarus and Ukraine, as well as other countries in the region, for more than 20 years. He is part of the team that covers the Russia-Ukraine war.Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering, convicted of prostitution offensesLive updates: Trump announces Israel agrees to 60-day Gaza ceasefire. Hamas has yet to accept
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