US lifts sanctions on Belarusian potash, Lukashenko releases 123 more political prisoners

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 123 citizens of various countries, in accordance with agreements reached with the US, as reported by Lukashenko's press service.

"The head of state has decided to pardon 123 citizens of various countries, convicted under the laws of the Republic of Belarus for committing crimes of different orientation - espionage and terrorism," stated the press release from Lukashenka's office.

In total, with the release of prisoners in late November, the number of 'pardoned persons' reached 156, including citizens of the UK, USA, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Australia, and Japan.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Beliatski, former presidential candidate Viktor Babariko and one of the opposition leaders Maria Kolesnikova were among the released. All 123 names were immediately deported from Belarus, including Belarusian citizens.

Among the released prisoners is the former editor-in-chief of TUT.VY Marina Zolotova. She was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony in 2023. Human rights defenders of the Centre "Viasna", Valentin Stefanovich and Uladzimir Labkovich, were also pardoned.

A few hours earlier, it was announced that the US lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash. This was announced on Saturday by the US President's special envoy to Belarus, John Cole, after a meeting in Minsk with Alexander Lukashenko.

"As directed by President Trump, the US is lifting sanctions on potash," Cole said. "I think this is a very good move on the part of the US for Belarus. We are lifting them now."

The US envoy also noted that communication on sanctions between Washington and Minsk will continue. "As relations between the two countries normalise, more and more sanctions will be lifted," Cole said, expressing hope that in the future the parties will come to a situation where there will be no such restrictive measures at all.

According to Cole, the talks with Lukashenko, which began on Friday and continued on Saturday, "were very productive." The US envoy said the two sides discussed normalising relations as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that "Lukashenko is giving good advice on resolving the conflict in Ukraine."

In August 2021, a year after the presidential election in Belarus, which the West did not recognise due to allegations of fraud, the US added Belaruskali, one of the world's largest producers of potash fertilisers, to the sanctions list.

According to the National Statistical Committee, before the 2020 crisis, Belarus earned $2.4 billion from potash fertiliser exports, accounting for about 8% of total Belarusian exports and about 4% of the country's GDP.

The American delegation, led by Cole, visited Minsk in September. After that meeting, the Belarusian authorities released 51 prisoners from prisons and deported them to Lithuania.