Belarus has released 52 political prisoners, including Lithuanian citizens, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced Thursday at an emergency press conference.
The group included opposition figures, journalists, and participants in anti-government protests, as well as foreign nationals from several European countries. Among those freed was Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskienė, a former marketing head at the Belarus-owned Belorus sanatorium. Her son had earlier appealed directly to Nausėda for help in securing her release.
Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskienė was detained on the way back to 🇱🇹 after visiting family in #Belarus. Now she's been sentenced to six years in prison by one of the regime's puppet courts. Foreign nationals risk ending up as the regime's hostages to be used for blackmail. pic.twitter.com/erGCwmlur5
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) June 11, 2024
The Belarusian opposition portal afn.by and ONT television reported that Ramanauskienė was accused of repeatedly passing on information about guests visiting the resort, including high-ranking Belarusian officials. Nausėda said he made enormous efforts to secure her release.
“I want to sincerely thank US President Donald Trump, who was involved in this release operation from beginning to end,” Nausėda said. “What happened is a major diplomatic success for America and for all of us.”
Alongside Lithuanian citizens, prisoners from the United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, Germany and France were also released and crossed into Lithuania with Belarusian opposition activists, Nausėda said.
He noted, however, that over a thousand political prisoners remain in Belarus and urged Lithuanian citizens to refrain from travelling to the country.
Nausėda also thanked Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, who was at the border with Belarus as the prisoners were released. He emphasised that the move was not tied to lifting or easing Western sanctions against Minsk.
“This is undoubtedly positive news that comes in such a gloomy context [of the start of Russian-Belarusian Zapad drills], a positive signal sent by Belarus which is probably not expecting any special concessions in return,” Nausėda said.
However, as the Lithuanian president was speaking, reports came in that the US is lifting sanctions on the Belarusian national airline Belavia. The announcement followed a meeting between Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and White House representative John Cole.
The press conference forced last-minute changes to the president’s schedule. Nausėda had been set to receive the credentials of Thai Ambassador Suphanvasa Chotikajan Tang on Thursday afternoon, but the ceremony was postponed.
Earlier in the day, Nausėda met with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, who was in Vilnius for security talks.
Opposition politician Mikola Statkevich among released
One of the 52 released political prisoners is the well-known opposition figure Mikalai Statkevich, according to the rights organisation Viasna.
52 political prisoners pardoned in Belarus, including politician Mikalai Statkevich
— Viasna (@viasna96) September 11, 2025
The political prisoners were transported directly from detention facilities to Lithuania.https://t.co/ErNlzSM2aD pic.twitter.com/tzYWL8zNy7
However, the independent portal Nasha Niva claims that the 69-year-old man refuses to leave the country.
Statkevich, who ran for president in 2010, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after protests following the disputed 2020 elections.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
