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According to the human rights centre Viasna, following the release of 250 political prisoners, their total number in Belarus has decreased to 897. As the rights defenders note, the figure last fell below 900 more than four years ago.
At the same time, they stress that political detentions and trials in Belarus have not stopped. Only this week, reports emerged of mass detentions of believers and clergy, as well as lengthy prison sentences handed down to eight women in the “yard chats” case.
New statements on political prisoners are expected to be issued in the coming days, and without an end to repression, their number, according to the rights defenders, will only continue to grow.