Fact Check: Lukashenko's regime granted pardons to over 250 political prisoners.

Fact Check: "Lukashenko's regime granted pardons to over 250 political prisoners."

What We Know

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has indeed pardoned a significant number of political prisoners in recent months. According to reports, between July 2024 and January 2025, Lukashenko pardoned 258 political prisoners (AP News). This move is seen as an attempt to improve relations with the West amid ongoing sanctions and international criticism of his regime's human rights record.

The pardons included 42 imprisoned opposition activists announced on May 7, 2025, as part of a broader strategy to signal a willingness to engage with Western nations (Reuters). Human rights organizations, such as Viasna, have documented that there are still 1,177 political prisoners currently detained in Belarus, indicating that while the pardons are significant, they represent only a fraction of those imprisoned for political reasons (AP News).

Analysis

The claim that Lukashenko's regime granted pardons to over 250 political prisoners is partially true. While it is accurate that 258 political prisoners were pardoned, the context surrounding these pardons is crucial. The pardons are viewed by analysts as a strategic move to ease tensions with Western countries, particularly in light of the ongoing sanctions imposed due to Belarus's political climate and its support for Russia during the Ukraine conflict (AP News, BBC).

However, the pardons are not indicative of a genuine shift in the regime's approach to political dissent. Reports indicate that many political prisoners remain in dire conditions, with human rights advocates highlighting the ongoing repression and lack of medical care for those still incarcerated (AP News, BBC). Furthermore, the criteria for the pardons have not been made clear, raising questions about the motivations behind these releases (BBC).

The credibility of the sources reporting on these pardons is generally high, with major news outlets like the Associated Press and Reuters providing detailed coverage. However, it is important to consider the potential bias in state-controlled media narratives that may frame these pardons as humanitarian gestures without addressing the broader context of ongoing repression (Reuters, AP News).

Conclusion

The claim that Lukashenko's regime granted pardons to over 250 political prisoners is partially true. While the number of pardoned individuals is accurate, the broader implications of these actions, including the continued imprisonment of many political dissidents and the lack of transparency regarding the pardons, suggest that this is more a strategic maneuver than a genuine commitment to human rights.

Fact Check: Lukashenko's regime granted pardons to over 250 political prisoners.