Lukashenko releases more political prisoners as hundreds remain imprisoned in Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released additional political prisoners, though hundreds remain behind bars according to human rights activists. The Belarusian prison system operates with extreme opacity, making it difficult to track the exact number of political detainees, activists report. Belarus has faced international sanctions and condemnation since the disputed 2020 presidential election, which sparked mass protests that were violently suppressed by Lukashenko's government. The authoritarian leader, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, has used mass arrests and imprisonment of opposition figures, journalists, and civil society activists as key tools to maintain power amid ongoing political repression.