Belarus releases 52 prisoners, including Poles, after talks with US
Belarus agreed to release 52 prisoners, with Poles among them, after talks with a US delegation, the US Embassy in Lithuania said on Thursday.
The fact that Poles are among the released prisoners was confirmed by Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Pawel Wronski on Thursday, but he declined to give any names.
Later on Thursday, Wronski announced that the list of those released includes three Polish citizens and eight Belarusians who were employees of Poland-sponsored Belsat TV and other Polish media. He also expressed hope that Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist serving an eight-year prison term, would be among the next group to be freed.
Belarusian news agency Belta said on Thursday that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko freed 14 foreign nationals, including two Poles.
The prisoners are on their way from Belarus to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, the embassy also said, as quoted by the Reuters agency.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the freed prisoners are British, Latvian, Polish, German, Lithuanian and French nationals.
John Coale, an envoy of US President Donald Trump, earlier met with Lukashenko.(PAP)jd/wpb/aj/mf
