Cole Responded To Lukashenko's Statement On Political Prisoners
- 18.09.2026, 9:57
The U.S. position is based on humanitarian principles: to help people.
During a meeting on September 16 with U.S. President’s Special Envoy John Cole, Alexander Lukashenko stated that there are allegedly “no political prisoners” in Belarus because “there is no such provision in our legislation.” In an interview with the television channel “Nastoyashchee Vremya”, the U.S. envoy commented on the dictator’s statement.
A transcript of the interview was published on September 17 by "Radio Svaboda". During the conversation, the journalist asked his interlocutor whether he believed that lifting sanctions in exchange for the release of political prisoners might prompt the Minsk authorities to arrest new prisoners to replenish the exchange pool.
In response, John Cole said that “if Lukashenko exchanges prisoners for the easing of sanctions,” he doesn’t see “a problem with that—after all, I’m the one who looks into the eyes of those who have been released and sees what freedom means to them.”
“My position—like that of the United States—is humanitarian in nature: to help people. If I can free 25 people, that’s wonderful. If 200, that’s wonderful too,” — emphasized the U.S. President’s special envoy.
He recalled that during a recent meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, the dictator stated that he “does not recognize the status of ‘political prisoner’ for those people who have been released.”
“And what did you say to him?” the journalist asked.
— “I call them prisoners; if he wants me to do that, so be it; if he wants me to call them rabbits, as long as they’re released, I don’t care. If he thinks they’re not political prisoners, let him think so.” I just know these people. That’s why semantics don’t matter much to me in this matter. It might be important to someone else, but not to me,” Cole explained his position.
As a reminder, following John Cole’s visit to Minsk on September 16, 2026, 25 political prisoners were released. They were sent by bus to Lithuania.
Among those released was Elena Lazarchik, an activist with the “European Belarus” civic campaign Elena Lazarchik, CEO of TUT.BY Lyudmila Chekina, founder of “Art Siadziba” and the national symbols and souvenirs store Symbal.by Pavel Belous, journalist and media manager Andrei Alexandrov, political scientist Tatyana Kuzina, director of the “BelaPAN” news agency Dmitry Novozhilov, journalist Kirill Poznyak and his daughter Yanina Poznyak, publisher Dmitry Kolos. Also present were the musicians of Tor Band Evgeny Burlo, Dmitry Golovach, and Andrey Yaremchik, a member of the band “Stary Olsa” Alexander Chumakov, political prisoners Irina Zlobina, Pavel Petruchenya, Evgeny Yushkevich, Yana Pinchuk, Denis Salmanovich, Ilya Veremeev, Sergei Ryabtsev, Svetlana Yakubovich, Anastasia Lazarenko, Andrei Tsalyuk, Olga Stroeva, and Kirill Gnezdilov .
Earlier, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Belarus stated that, in response to the release of 25 people, the U.S. would lift sanctions against OJSC “Lakokraska” and the “Bellesbumprom” concern.
He also promised that the release of political prisoners and the lifting of sanctions would continue once the parties resolve the remaining issues.