Political prisoners released in Belarus

Recently, by the decision of the Belarusian government, political prisoners — opposition representatives Mariya Kolesnikova, Viktor Babariko, human rights defender Vladimir Labkovich, and political scientist Aleksandr Feduta — were released. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

On December 14, they held a press conference in Ukraine's Chernihiv region, providing detailed information about their life in prison and the process of gaining freedom. Their release was the result of negotiations between the US delegation in Minsk and Belarusian officials.

Mariya Kolesnikova spoke about her decision not to leave the country in 2020 and her subsequent arrest, emphasizing that she does not regret her decision. She expressed satisfaction with supporting the values of Viktor Babariko and his son Eduard.

Additionally, Kolesnikova expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for their contributions to her release. She also thanked Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko for his assistance in this matter and expressed hope for new changes in the future.

Viktor Babariko stated that he was held in complete isolation for three years in prison and expressed concern that his son Eduard is currently in a strict regime colony. He mentioned experiencing health problems in prison, including fainting, rib fractures, and pneumonia.

Babariko expressed gratitude for the medical care provided by doctors. Human rights defender Vladimir Labkovich and political scientist Aleksandr Feduta also expressed thanks for the warm reception in Ukraine.

The Belarusian government announced on December 13 that a total of 123 political prisoners had been released.