Germany offers to take in freed Belarusian opposition figures Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka

Germany will take in former Belarusian political prisoners Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka, who were released on Saturday as part of a deal between Washington and Minsk. A statement from German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt cited by broadcaster ZDF confirmed Berlin’s offer to Kalesnikava and Babaryka.

“We are highly interested in strengthening this democratic movement, even if it now has to develop outside Belarus. That is why we will welcome two of the most prominent opposition leaders who were imprisoned,” Dobrindt said.

Kalesnikava and Babaryka were among more than 120 people pardoned by Alexander Lukashenko and freed in recent days. Other prominent figures on the list included veteran human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The freed political prisoners were initially sent to Ukraine, but Kalesnikava has already indicated, ZDF notes, that she intends to leave Ukraine and move to Europe, where her sister lives. Babaryka’s plans remain unclear.

Maria Kalesnikava is a Belarusian political activist and a key figure in the 2020 protest movement. She served as the head of Viktar Babaryka’s campaign during the 2020 presidential election, was a representative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s united campaign team, and was a member of the Coordination Council’s presidium. She helped coordinate peaceful protests against Alexander Lukashenko following the disputed election results. In September 2020, authorities attempted to forcibly expel her from the country, but she refused to leave and was arrested. In 2021, a Minsk court sentenced her to 11 years in prison.

Viktar Babaryka is a Belarusian banker and politician, former chairman of Belgazprombank, and one of the most popular opposition contenders in the 2020 presidential race. He was detained in June 2020 while collecting signatures for his candidacy and was sentenced a year later to 14 years in prison.