Ukrainian POW authority: 109 released Belarusian political prisoners arrive in Poland and Lithuania
A total of 109 Belarusian political prisoners released by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko have been transported to Poland and Lithuania.
Source: Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War
Quote: "With organisational support from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 109 former Belarusian political prisoners have been successfully transported to Poland and Lithuania."
Details: The Coordination Headquarters said the humanitarian operation was carried out through cooperation between the Ukrainian side and its international partners. Those released include representatives of the Belarusian opposition, journalists and civil society figures who had long been subjected to repression.
In Warsaw, the former prisoners were met by relatives, volunteers, journalists and diplomats. Some of those released decided to remain in Poland, while others will travel on to Lithuania.
The Coordination Headquarters thanked the United States, European governments, international partners and all parties involved for their support and assistance in carrying out the operation.
Background: On 13 December, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 123 political prisoners after a meeting with US Special Envoy to Belarus John Coale, including one of the country's most high-profile detainees, Maria Kolesnikova, an ally of former presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka.
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