TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian opposition leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for the urgent release of 224 political prisoners in Belarus. Tsikhanouskaya urged Western countries to negotiate with Belarusian authorities for their freedom. The political prisoners are part of a crackdown initiated by Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko in response to protests following a disputed election in 2020.
Since the crackdown began, more than 65,000 individuals have been detained, with ongoing repressions, as reported by the Viasna human rights group. Among those detained, over 1,300 are considered political prisoners. Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the need for the immediate release of specific groups, including minors, the elderly, individuals with serious medical conditions, and mothers of multiple children.
