Belarus’ authoritarian leader pardons 28 political prisoners to ease ties with the West

Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 28 political prisoners on Independence Day, citing humanitarian grounds, as part of efforts to improve relations with the West. Despite this, Belarus still holds 864 political prisoners, including 21 journalists, according to the Viasna human rights center, with the UN and opposition leaders noting ongoing repression and lack of human rights progress.