Lukashenka Signs Decree Granting Pardon to 22 People

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed a decree granting pardons to 22 people.

“Of this number, 20 people were convicted of crimes of an extremist nature. Among those pardoned are 15 women and seven men, and 11 of them have underage children,” Lukashenka’s press service said.

It is noted that all those pardoned submitted relevant petitions and “admitted guilt and repented of what they had done.”

The decision to grant pardons was made “on humanitarian grounds and in the interests of families, as well as taking into account positive character references of the pardoned individuals.”

It should be recalled that the Belarusian authorities use extremism charges to combat political opponents and dissent in general.