A. Lukashenko also pardoned former Belarusian presidential candidate Viktars Babaryka.

The BNS news agency reports that nine of the political prisoners were released via Lithuania.

M. Kalesnikava, as reported by Belarusian opposition media, is heading to Ukraine. The first photos and video of her and V. Babaryka taken in freedom have already appeared.

Kalesnikava was one of the leaders of the 2020 protests in Belarus. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the regime for calling for actions that"threaten national security, the creation of an extremist group, and a conspiracy to seize power."

A. Bialiackis was arrested in 2021. He was sentenced to 10 years in a maximum-security prison. The chairman of the Human Rights Center"Viasna" was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022."Viasna" announces that he will be sent to Lithuania.

US lifts sanctions on Belarusian potash exports

According to ELTA, A. Lukashenko's press service indicated that, based on decisions made by the Belarusian President at the end of November, a total of 156 individuals have been pardoned in recent times, including citizens of Great Britain, the USA, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Australia and Japan.

The press service of the President of Belarus reports that A. Lukashenko has decided to grant pardon to 123 citizens of various countries convicted under the laws of the Republic of Belarus for various types of crimes - espionage, terrorist and extremist activities.

This, according to the report, was done in accordance with agreements with US President D. Trump and at his request, taking into account the lifting of illegal sanctions against the potash industry of the Republic of Belarus, which were imposed by the administration of former US President Biden. “And the process of lifting other illegal sanctions against the Republic of Belarus has entered a practical phase,” the press service of the President of Belarus states.

According to A. Lukashenko's press service, this step was taken taking into account the requests of the heads of other states and based on humanitarian principles and universal human and family values - in this way, the aim is to accelerate the positive development of relations with Belarus' partners and stabilize the situation in the entire European region.

The release of political prisoners was announced after two days of talks between US President Donald Trump's special envoy John Cole and A. Lukashenko.

Earlier on Saturday, it was announced that the United States was removing sanctions on Belarusian potash exports.

"As relations between the two countries normalize, more and more sanctions will be lifted," said US spokesman Coale.