Authoritarian Belarus president pardons 37 political prisoners out of more than 1,300

Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 37 people serving prison sentences for what his office described as “extremist” crimes. It is the fourth time since July that the authoritarian leader has pardoned dozens of political prisoners in what some observers see as an attempt to soften his image. Lukashenko’s office didn’t identify any of the prisoners pardoned Monday, but said they include six women. Human rights activists say there are over 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus. They include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and Polish newspaper journalist Andrzej Poczobut, whose release Poland is seeking. At least six political prisoners have died behind bars.