Latest Belarus government News
Belarus frees head of banned party as Lukashenko slowly releases some political prisoners
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The head of a banned Belarusian opposition party who had been behind bars for two years was released on Monday as the authoritarian country frees a trickle of political prisoners, according to the respected human rights group Viasna. Mikalai Kazlou, who led...
German sentenced to death in Belarus, Europe's only nation to perform executions, rights group says
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian human rights group said Friday that a German citizen has been sentenced to death for terrorism and other charges connected to an explosion intended to undermine public order. Belarus is the only country in Europe that still executes prisoners...
Key events in Alexander Lukashenko's 30 years as the iron-fisted leader of Belarus
Key events in the 30-year rule of Belarus' hard-line President Alexander Lukashenko: July 20, 1994 — Lukashenko is inaugurated as president after a landslide victory in what international observers say was the post-Soviet country's first and only genuinely free election. He...
Leader of Belarus marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent and cozying up to Moscow
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — For three decades, European leaders have come and gone by the dozens, but Alexander Lukashenko remains in absolute control of Belarus. His longevity is due to a mixture of harshly silencing all dissent, reverting to Soviet-style economic controls and...
Belarus broadens visa-free travel for 35 European countries
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities on Wednesday expanded visa-free travel for residents of 35 European countries, including members of the European Union and the United Kingdom, as part of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko' s efforts to improve relations with the West. ...
Belarusian authorities are depriving Nobel Peace Prize laureate of medicine in jail, his wife says
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The wife of an imprisoned Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate said Wednesday that the country's authorities are depriving her husband of medicine as his health deteriorates. The 61-year-old pro-democracy activist, Ales Bialiatski, is serving a 10-year...
Belarus and China join forces in a military drill near the Polish border
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus is hosting Chinese troops for a joint military drill near its border with NATO member Poland, officials said Tuesday, the first such exercise reflecting growing defense ties between the two countries. The 11-day drill named Eagle Assault 2024 started...
Belarusian authorities are forcing political prisoners to publicly repent to be freed, activists say
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Human rights activists on Monday accused Belarusian authorities of setting unacceptable conditions for the release of political prisoners, including writing public statements admitting their guilt and repenting. The accusation comes just days after President...
Belarus rights group says 10 ill political prisoners have been freed
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian human rights group said Thursday that at least 10 political prisoners have been freed since the country's authoritarian president this week promised to release seriously ill people jailed in connection with massive protests nearly four years ago. ...
Cancer-stricken Belarusian political prisoner is released after authoritarian president's promise
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A prominent Belarusian opposition politician suffering from a severe form of cancer was released Wednesday from prison, his son-in-law said, three years after his arrest in the crackdown on dissent by the country's authoritarian ruler, Alexander Lukashenko. ...
