By Lars Bunger | President LIBERECO Switzerland
The Belarusian regime pardoned 123 political prisoners on 13 December 2025, including many who had been imprisoned since 2020. Among those released are Maria Kalesnikava, one of the leaders of the opposition in Belarus, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, lawyer Maxim Znak, former TUT.BY editor-in-chief Maryna Zolatava and former presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, according to the Belarusian human rights centre Viasna.
Since 2020, thousands of Belarusians have risked their personal freedom to stand up for democracy, human rights and a life of dignity. Many of them paid for their determination with years of imprisonment, and quite a few of them were abused or tortured.
We did not leave these people alone in prison, and we will not leave them alone now when they have been released.
But this mass release of political prisoners in Belarus is a necessary but insufficient step. Together with 27 International NGOs we have published a joint statement calling for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
As of 9 February 2025, 1,144 political prisoners remain unjustly imprisoned in Belarus.
We will continue to campaign for their release, including through the godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus by Members of the European Parliaments. Since the beginning of 2026, 11 MPs have already taken on a new godparenthood.
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