Cancer-stricken Belarusian political prisoner is released after authoritarian president’s promise

Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A prominent Belarusian opposition politician who is suffering from a severe form of cancer has been released from prison, three years after his arrest in the authoritarian country’s crackdown on dissent. Ryhor Kastusiou’s son-in-law says his release on Wednesday came a day after President Alexander Lukashenko announced he would free seriously ill political prisoners detained during the 2020 protests. The demonstrations rocked the country after Lukashenko’s disputed reelection to a sixth term in office since 1994. During the crackdown following the vote, more than 35,000 people were arrested, thousands were brutally beaten in custody, dozens of independent news organizations and human rights groups were closed and journalists were jailed.