Poland – Charter 97, Dec. 13, 2025
Lukashenko released 123 political prisoners. This became known today, December 13. Among those released – ex-banker Viktor Babariko, Maria Kolesnikova, Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, Maksim Znak, Pavel Seviarynets, editor-in-chief of the portal tut.by Marina Zolotova, political scientist Alexandr Feduta, human rights activists Vladimir Lobkovich, Elena Gnauk, Maria Batalionok (Lithuania), Anna Sokolenko (Latvia), Alexander Syritsa (Australia), Nakanishi Masatoshi(Japan), Roman Galuza (Poland), Natalya Bielska(USA). 114 of them were taken to the territory of Ukraine. Only Ales Bialiatski and seven foreign citizens were taken to Lithuania.
Ales Bialiatski gave his first interview upon arrival in Vilnius:
“I was taken blindfolded through Belarus. And I was sitting near Horki, 14 kilometers from the Russian border. I’m still dizzy.”
“This Nobel Prize was given not only to me personally, but to all Belarusian activists and all the Belarusian people, who have been and are still fighting for democracy and human rights in Belarus. Although it’s not easy and hard, through prisons, thousands of people have been and are still sitting in prison,” said Ales Bialiatski.
