Belarus Grants Large-Scale Amnesty, Frees 123 People Including Japanese National

Dec 14 (News On Japan) - Belarus carried out a large-scale amnesty on December 13th, releasing 123 detainees that included a Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist and a Japanese national.

According to Reuters, President Lukashenko implemented the amnesty following discussions held on December 13th, freeing 123 political detainees in what is believed to be part of an exchange for potential sanctions relief. Among those released was Belarusian human rights activist Belyatski, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 and stated that he intends to continue his work advocating for human rights.

The amnesty also included Masashi Nakanishi, a Japanese national who had been detained last year on allegations of espionage. Nakanishi has since arrived in Japan, and the Japanese Embassy in Belarus has confirmed that there are no concerns regarding his health.

The United States, noting that more than 1,000 political detainees remain imprisoned in Belarus, has expressed its willingness to push for further releases and signaled interest in improving relations with Minsk.

Source: 日テレNEWS

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