The minister, speaking to BNS, also expressed regret that there were no Lithuanian citizens among the recently released, but indicated hope that this will be achieved in future rounds of negotiations.
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“The fact that it (the prisoner release process – BNS) is not finished, that it will continue, that we will have the efforts of the United States to free all political prisoners in the future, I heard that assurance. Let’s hope it will be possible to achieve that in the future,” said K. Budrys.
He said he heard this assurance from the US President’s special envoy to Belarus, John Coale, whom he met earlier this week before his departure to Minsk.
During J. Coale’s visit to Belarus, an agreement was reached on the release of 25 prisoners, who arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday. In turn, Washington will lift sanctions on the Belarusian paint manufacturer “Lakokraska” and the forestry concern “Bellesbumprom.”
K. Budrys told BNS he did not want to “loudly speculate” why there were no Lithuanian citizens among the released, noting that this is a US-led process.
“Lithuania, of course, seeks for Lithuanian citizens to be released, especially those imprisoned on fabricated political grounds. We hope to achieve that, and here it is in Lithuania’s interest that they return home,” said the foreign minister.
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“Of course, this is another opportunity and occasion to remind Lithuanian citizens that there is no reason to go there (to Belarus – BNS), because these events are very painful both for relatives and for the detained people. And I, of course, regret that there were no Lithuanian citizens this time,” he emphasized.
Moreover, K. Budrys stressed that the negotiations on the release of political prisoners aim for these people to be in Belarus without persecution.
“The fact that the Lukashenko regime expels political opponents, drives them out of the country whose citizens they are, is (…) a human rights violation, and precisely because of this Lithuania has appealed to the International Criminal Court. All these images, when people are being pushed out, are further material for the case,” said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.
Last time, J. Coale visited Minsk in March. Then Belarus released 250 political prisoners, 15 of whom arrived in Vilnius. After this visit, the special envoy urged Lithuania to restore the transit of Belarusian fertilizers and to hold a deputy minister-level meeting with Minsk.
Neither in March nor in September were there Lithuanian citizens among the released.
Human rights defenders and activists warn that although the Minsk regime releases some individuals, others are still arrested and imprisoned. According to the human rights organization “Viasna,” operating in exile, there are currently over 900 political prisoners in the country.
