Letter to President Trump on Prioritizing Human Rights in US-Belarus Diplomatic Engagement

Dear President Donald J. Trump,

In the context of the United States’ negotiations with Belarusian authorities and the potential visit of Aliaksander Lukashenka to the US, we write to engage you on what the US could do to help end the human rights violations and politically motivated repressions in Belarus.

We are deeply concerned about the lack of systematic changes in the human rights situation in Belarus. We believe that not only should the release of all political prisoners be at the core of the US negotiations with Belarus, but also the end of all politically motivated repressions, including any persecution and harassment of former political prisoners and repressions targeting Belarusians in exile. We believe that political prisoners put by Belarusian human rights organizations on a “humanitarian list” due to poor health should be prioritized, as well as those who are sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. Following the release of all political prisoners and the end of repressive practices, Belarus also needs to review its legislation for compliance with its international human rights obligations[1].

Human Rights Watch welcomes the release of 250 political prisoners in March following the visit of John Coale, the US Special Envoy on Belarus, to Minsk. We welcome reports that the United States is committed to working towards the release of all political prisoners in Belarus[2].

We are pleased that John Coale said he told Aliaksander Lukashenka that politically motivated arrests need to stop. However, on March 19, the day the political prisoners’ release was announced, four more people, arrested and prosecuted on politically motivated grounds, were handed prison sentences ranging from eight and a half to 10 years[3]. On the day the meeting was held, the Minsk Central Court ruled that an online chat on Telegram called “SIZO N1 Kolyadichi” with about 1800 followers who shared guidelines for families of prisoners, for example, on how to pass on parcels, constituted “extremist materials”.[4]

According to the United Nations Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus, the government persists in systematic violations of international human rights law, some of which amount to the crimes against humanity of persecution and imprisonment.[5] In 2025, 342 political prisoners were released on presidential pardon, but 490 more were prosecuted on politically motivated charges.[6]

Furthermore, we are concerned about the framework of the political prisoners’ releases. In the latest release, 15 prisoners were immediately deported to Lithuania without a chance to stay in Belarus. Also, they did not receive their passports, which places additional and unnecessary difficulties in their way. According to the UN Group of Independent Experts, such expulsions constitute a clear violation of international human rights standards.[7] The former political prisoners who had been released in December told us that their families were visited by law enforcement in Belarus and questioned about them.

On March 19, Belarusian authorities released Anastasia Lojka representing a leading rights group Human Constanta. Just one day prior, they had designated Human Constanta, Lojka, and eight more of the group’s activists as “extremist.”[8]

We are glad to see that following this last round of releases of political prisoners, most were allowed to stay in the country. However, the Belarusian authorities have a well-known record of putting pressure on and harassing former political prisoners in the country, often forcing them into exile.

The continuous human rights violations and the treatment of former political prisoners, both inside and outside the country, indicate the Belarusian authorities have yet to commit to systematic change.

Belarusian authorities should end all politically motivated detentions and prosecutions, release all political prisoners and guarantee their right to live in their country or to leave, and face no further retaliation or harassment.

We sincerely hope that these asks for a genuine, systematic change in the human rights situation in Belarus will lay the foundation of any further negotiations and interactions on behalf of the US authorities with Belarus.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Hugh Williamson