US envoy John Coale hopes to free 1,000 political prisoners in Belarus
John Coale / Reuters
US special envoy for Belarus John Coale said that in mid-September he hopes to secure the release of new political prisoners. According to him, around 700–800 people have already been freed with his involvement, and he now wants to bring that number to one thousand. In an interview with Voice of America published on 29 August, the diplomat once again promised to visit Belarus and hold talks with Alexandr Lukashenko.
John Coale said that the US continues to push for the release of both prominent political prisoners and other participants in the 2020 protests. Among those who have been freed, he named Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. According to Coale, it is especially important to him that people be able to return home, to their families, and remain in Belarus.
According to the special envoy, the US also wants to improve relations with Belarus. John Coale maintains contacts with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, representatives of Lithuania and Poland, and other parties. He also said that in the future he hopes to help secure the release of Russian political prisoners and American citizens who are being held in detention in Russia.
