Belarus opposition leader calls for urgent release of 224 political prisoners

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for the urgent release of 224 political prisoners in Belarus. She urged Western countries to negotiate with the Belarusian government for their freedom. Since the 2020 election, which was widely criticized as rigged, over 65,000 people have been detained. Human rights group Viasna reports that more than 1,300 are currently classified as political prisoners. Tsikhanouskaya highlighted that 29 of the identified prisoners are in critical condition. She noted that six political prisoners have died in custody since 2020, while President Alexander Lukashenko denies the existence of political prisoners.