Belarus frees opposition prisoners including Nobel Peace Prize winner as US eases potash sanctions
MINSK, BELARUS: Belarus released more than 100 political prisoners on Saturday, December 13, following negotiations with the United States that included a partial easing of the US sanctions. Among those freed were Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova.
The releases came after talks in Minsk between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and a US envoy representing President Donald Trump. Washington agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a major Belarusian export, as part of the agreement.
Belarus' President Lukashenko is not recognised as president by the EU.
Prisoner releases follow US-Belarus negotiations
Belarus freed a total of 123 detainees, including prominent opposition figures, after discussions with US special envoy for Belarus John Coale.
Coale confirmed that the United States agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a fertilizer component and one of Belarus' most important exports.
"The United States is lifting sanctions on potash," Coale told reporters in Minsk, according to state-run Belarusian news service Belta. "I think this is a very good step by the US toward Belarus. We are lifting them now."
He also added, "As relations between the two countries normalize, more and more sanctions will be lifted."
A US official said the release included "release of 123 individuals, including one US citizen, six citizens of US Allies, and five Ukrainian citizens," calling it "a significant milestone in US-Belarus engagement."
The official added that "the United States stands ready for additional engagement with Belarus that advances US interests and will continue to pursue diplomatic efforts to free remaining political prisoners in Belarus."
Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, presented details regarding the preparation of a special mission to free civilians held in Belarus. Thanks to the active role of the United States and the cooperation of our intelligence agencies, around one hundred…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 13, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the development, saying in a social media post that "around one hundred people are regaining their freedom now, including five Ukrainians," crediting cooperation with the United States.
Opposition figures freed amid broader diplomatic shift
Among those released were Bialiatski, head of the Viasna human rights organization, a group that estimates that more than 1,000 political prisoners remain in Belarus.
Coale had previously helped secure the release of more than 50 detainees earlier this year following earlier talks with Lukashenko.
Maria Kolesnikova, a leading opposition activist sentenced in 2021 to 11 years in prison for attempting to seize power illegally was also released.
Kolesnikova's sister, Tatiana Khomich, campaigned tirelessly for her release and confirmed the news of her to the BBC in an interview, saying, "She is free, she looks fine, she looks good," and that she was looking forward to giving her sibling a hug.
Kolesnikova and 113 other prisoners have been handed over to Ukraine, according to Kyiv's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the releases were the result of sustained international pressure. Sanctions "are leverage to make dictators do something," she said, adding that sanctions could be reinstated if agreements are not upheld.
