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US-Belarus political prisoner negotiations

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2026-09-16 18:43 UTC → 2026-09-16 18:49 UTC · added ~~removed~~

U.S. special envoy John Coale has been leading diplomatic negotiations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to secure the release of political prisoners in exchange for the easing of U.S. sanctions. Earlier efforts resulted in the release of approximately 700 to 800 individuals, with Coale expressing an initial goal to increase that number to 1,000. By mid-September, Coale returned to Minsk for direct talks with Lukashenko. On September 15, 2026, an interim deal was reached in which Belarus agreed to release 25 ~~prisoners.~~ prisoners, including journalist Andrei Alyaksandrau and several musicians. In response, the 25 released individuals arrived in Lithuania. To fulfill the agreement, the United States is set to lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies: the paint manufacturer Lakokraska and the agricultural concern Bellesbumprom. ~~The released group includes journalists, musicians, and activists.~~ Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda welcomed the humanitarian progress but cautioned against equating these releases with broader political or security shifts, citing ongoing concerns regarding drone incursions, illegal migration, and the expansion of the Astravyets nuclear power plant near NATO borders. Acting on behalf of President Donald Trump, Coale indicated that both sides are working toward further prisoner releases and additional sanctions relief. During the talks, Lukashenko also urged the U.S. to unfreeze approximately $44 million in Belarusian assets held at Citibank. While the interim deal is viewed by some as a humanitarian success, human rights group Viasna reports that approximately 912 political prisoners remain in custody. The exiled Belarusian opposition and Viasna have characterized the process as a ‘pure trade’ of hostages for sanctions relief, arguing it fails to address the regime’s fundamental repressive nature or the ‘systematic’ human rights violations noted by United Nations experts.

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