Belarus frees opposition figures as US lifts some sanctions

Belarus released more than 100 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and activist Maria Kolesnikova, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.

Belarus released a total of 123 prisoners following talks between authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus John Coale, BBC reported.

The U.S. reportedly agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a key fertilizer component and an important export for Belarus, a historical ally of Russia.

Kolesnikova was sentenced four years ago to a long prison term after being convicted of attempting to seize power illegally.