On July 2, 18 Belarusian political prisoners were granted a pardon by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. This was the largest release of political prisoners in Belarus since 2020. Yet, that same week, roughly 25 new names were added to the list of political prisoners in the country. Among those released in July was Belarusian human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka, who had been imprisoned since January 2021 for providing legal and other assistance to Belarusians targeted for speaking out against the Lukashenko regime’s abuses. In this interview with Freedom House, Sudalenka shares his thoughts on the recent pardon, emphasizing that more than anything, external pressure played a role in the regime’s decision. “Advocacy on behalf of political prisoners is crucial. My experiences have taught me that we must tirelessly remind the world of those arbitrarily detained” said Sudalenka. “Authoritarian regimes aim to separate and break us one by one, but when people come together to join in a single united action, authoritarian regimes have no choice but to crumble.”

Access the interview here.