Senators And Congressmen Appealed To The U.S. Secretary Of State Because Of The Situation In Belarus

They called on the Trump administration to continue working to free political prisoners.

U.S. senators and congressmen on November 17 wrote an open letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to continue working for the release of political prisoners in Belarus and to exercise caution in future negotiations with the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, who supports Russia's ruler Vladimir Putin.

The letter was signed by Senators Peter Welch and John Curtis and Congressional Representatives Steve Cohen and Joe Wilson. In it, the lawmakers thanked the Trump administration for releasing the prisoners on June 21, September 11 and September 16.

"We commend the administration for its work in this regard, including the efforts of Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Deputy Special Envoy John Coale and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Smith. <�...> As the administration continues to engage with this illegitimate regime, we urge caution that any progress in the release of political prisoners not be undermined by the continued pattern of arbitrary detentions by the [Belarus] authorities," the letter to Rubio reads.

The lawmakers emphasized the need for constant vigilance, noting that Lukashenko's concessions could be a tactic to divert attention from Russia's continued support for the war in Ukraine.

"Negotiations with the Lukashenko regime inevitably contribute to its desire to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the international community. The regime's practice of releasing some prisoners while detaining new opposition figures, journalists and human rights activists should not go unchecked. At the same time, Belarus continues to facilitate Russia's illegal war against Ukraine, including providing drone strikes from its territory and supporting hybrid tactics such as organizing irregular migration to the EU. These actions not only support domestic repression, but also directly undermine U.S. interests and overall transatlantic security in the region," the U.S. lawmakers said.

They noted that the Trump administration needs constant vigilance "in its continued engagement with the Lukashenko regime."

"Any political prisoners released should be fully exonerated of all charges. They should not be forced into exile, which is a violation of international law. We also call on the State Department to prioritize the release of those in need of urgent medical care, according to the so-called 'humanitarian list' prepared by Belarusan human rights organizations," the lawmakers wrote." the lawmakers wrote.

They urged the State Department to prioritize the release of the following political prisoners in any future negotiations with the Belarusian authorities: Maria Kolesnikova, Viktor and Eduard Babariko, Marfa Rabkova, Ales Bialiatski, Valentin Stefanovich, Vladimir Labkovich, Anastasia Loika, Denis Ivashin, Maxim Znak and Katerina Andreeva. The senators' letter is supported by the McCain Institute and Freedom House.

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