MINSK, 22 August (BelTA) - Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko commented on the possibility of pardoning and releasing the convicts as he took journalists' questions in Minsk on 22 August, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian president informed him that the country has a special commission authorized to review relevant requests from the convicts, but final decisions rest with the head of state. This work is carried out on an ongoing basis.
An important factor in making such decisions is how it will be perceived by the people. “I am not overly concerned about approval ratings, but I do care what my society will say about my actions. For example, when we released 16 people not everyone unequivocally supported it, even though they do not possess the full information,” the head of state stated.
He clarified that the proposal initially came from the United States. No one in Belarus had suggested releasing prisoners under any conditions.
This was a kind of an American deal: 'you give me this, I give you that.' And the president accepted their proposal. 16 people were pardoned, one of whom is now 'stirring up trouble' among the self-exiled opposition in Lithuania. However, even here the Americans found something to criticize: claiming that these people’s prison terms were soon to end anyway, and they would have been released regardless. The Americans say: 'He deceived us.' I say: 'Guys, you saw the lists, you were happy, you wanted me to release this guy. I released him. He reunited with his family. Why are you upset with me?’ They fall silent. My hands are clean. You wanted it? You got it," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“You want 1,500 or 2,000 (however they count it)? Take them to your country, bring them over. Do not expect that we will release the criminals who, by their own admission, burned and wrecked things. Should we release them so they can wage war against us again? Society would not support me in this,” the president said.
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