Lukashenka does not plan to amnesty political prisoners

Amnesty should have no politics, the dictator says.

“We carry out amnesty in our country, for our people. It is a message to the society and encouragement of prisoners. There should be no politics,” Alyaksandr Lukashenka noted on Tuesday at a meeting to discuss the issue of the amnesty on occasion of the Independence Day.

“Everything should be honest. We need to set criteria and act in accordance with them: those answering the criteria can be pardoned or their prison terms can be reduced. We should not apply amnesty to the people, who must not be released also on some political motives,” the dictator thinks.

Speaking about the forthcoming amnesty, Lukashenka said it should target above all the “people who are not dangerous for society and the state”. “It happens often that one makes a mistake, but realizes in prison what he did and improves,” the head of state says.

According to him, “It concerns those who committed an offence for the first time and those engaged in economic activity.” “They don't seem to be habitual criminals. They can be included in the amnesty if they served a part of their terms and paid the damage,” he said.

Lukashenka noted, “We don't need the amnesty to lead to a formal reduction in a number of prisoners.” “Moreover, we should not allow the release of people inclined to repetition of crimes. Such people must serve their terms,” the dictator said. According to Lukashenka, “We should have an equally strong position regarding those who have not paid the damage, violates prison rules or those on the wanted list.”

Fourteen political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus. The international community and human rights activists demand to immediately, release, rehabilitate them and restore to their rights.  The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on the Belarusian officials and oligarchs close to Lukashenka to achieve fulfilling these demands.