Lukashenko pardoned 15 people, most of them political prisoners

As reported by the Belarusian state news agency BelTA, on Thursday Alyaksandr Lukashenko signed a decision to pardon 15 people. Most of them are political prisoners.

American pressure and talks about sanctions

The pardon came just days after the visit of John Coale, special envoy of US President Donald Trump, who met with Lukashenko in Minsk.

The United States has been conducting intensive talks with the Belarusian authorities for over a year, demanding the release of hundreds of political prisoners. In return, Washington is considering easing the economic sanctions that have been weighing on the Belarusian regime for years.