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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Pjotr Sauer

Belarus frees 52 political prisoners, including foreigners, after visit by US delegation

Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskiene leaving a bus after her release along with other political prisoners from prison in Belarus
Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskiene leaving a bus after her release along with other political prisoners from prison in Belarus. Photograph: LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY/AFP/Getty Images

Belarus has released 52 prisoners of various nationalities, after a visit by a US delegation to Minsk, in Alexander Lukashenko’s latest attempt to balance ties between Russia and the west.

Thursday’s prisoner release was one of the biggest of Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule, and was part of his effort to mend relations with Washington and secure sanctions relief after years of isolation.

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