Belarus has released 52 prisoners of various nationalities on Thursday following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The detainees, described by Trump as hostages, were freed after negotiations involving a U.S. delegation.
They subsequently traveled to Lithuania accompanied by the American representatives.
This action comes as Belarus seeks to improve relations with the West after years of isolation due to sanctions.
The release represents the largest group of prisoners pardoned by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to date.
However, it falls considerably short of the 1,300 to 1,400 releases that Trump had requested in a prior conversation with Lukashenko and through social media.
Among the individuals released is Ihar Losik, a 33-year-old journalist sentenced in 2021 to 15 years in a penal colony for charges including inciting hatred and organizing riots.
The group also includes 14 foreign nationals from countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, France, Britain, and Germany.
It remains unclear if prominent critics like human rights campaigner Ales Bialiatski, a co-winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, were part of this batch.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of the Belarus opposition, noted that this release accounts for only about 4% of those classified as political prisoners.
She emphasized that it does not indicate a substantive shift in Lukashenko's policies.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed gratitude to the United States and Trump for their efforts, while highlighting that over 1,000 political prisoners still remain incarcerated.
Human rights group Viasna reports nearly 1,200 such individuals behind bars.
In response to the releases, the United States has eased certain sanctions on Belarus, specifically granting relief to the national airline Belavia.
This allows the carrier to service and acquire components for its fleet, which includes Boeing aircraft.
Belavia had faced restrictions following an incident in 2021 where Belarusian authorities diverted a commercial flight to arrest dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich.
The airline's operations have been severely impacted, reducing its fleet from 29 to 14 aircraft.
John Coale, the U.S. lawyer leading the delegation, met with Lukashenko in Minsk and delivered a personal letter from Trump signed simply "Donald."
Coale described this as a rare act of personal friendship.
Lukashenko praised Trump for his efforts toward peace, including in Ukraine, and expressed willingness to work on a broader agreement.
Trump has voiced plans to meet Lukashenko, whom he has called a strong leader.
This development occurs against the backdrop of regional tensions, including Poland's recent downing of Russian drones and upcoming joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus.
Vytis Jurkonis, a human rights activist with Freedom House, suggested that Lukashenko is using these releases to gain leverage with the West while continuing arrests.
Lukashenko maintains that there are no political prisoners in Belarus, only individuals who have broken the law.
The exchange underscores ongoing efforts by Lukashenko, who has ruled for over three decades, to alleviate international pressure amid Belarus's alliance with Russia and its role in the Ukraine conflict.