Belarus Releases Two Imprisoned Catholic Priests Following Vatican Negotiations

Two Roman Catholic priests were released from Belarusian prison after negotiations with the Vatican. This development reflects potential warming relations between Belarus and the West amidst ongoing discussions about political prisoners.

Two Roman Catholic priests, previously imprisoned on charges deemed politically motivated by human rights officials, were released on Thursday. This development follows discussions with the Vatican, as confirmed by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus. The release coincides with speculation about improving ties between Minsk and Western nations after a phone call between President Alexander Lukashenko and US President Donald Trump in August led to the release of some political prisoners.

The Rev. Henrykh Akalatovich, sentenced to 11 years for treason in 2023, was released after serving two years. Accused of espionage for Poland and the Vatican, he denied these allegations, calling them "lies, threats, and blackmail." His arrest marked the first politically motivated charges against Roman Catholic clergy in Belarus since its independence following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

Political Tensions and Clergy Repression

Rev. Andrzej Yukhnevich was also freed after being convicted of child molestation charges in April and sentenced to 13 years. He denied these accusations, with human rights activists claiming his arrest was politically driven. Yukhnevich had faced detention four times, including for posting a Ukrainian flag on social media.

The release of these priests followed an October visit to Belarus by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, a papal envoy and former Vatican ambassador to Belarus. He now leads the Holy See office overseeing eastern rite Catholics. The Belarus bishops conference expressed their support for "the resumption of dialogue between Belarus and the United States, and the strengthening of contacts with the Vatican."

Ongoing Repression and International Support

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the priests' release, expressing gratitude to Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See for their support. She highlighted that many believers remain imprisoned and called for an end to repression, stating that "no one should be punished for their faith."

Akalatovich and Yukhnevich are among numerous clergy members—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—who have been jailed or exiled for protesting the 2020 election that kept Lukashenko in power. Observers reported election fraud, leading to protests met with severe police crackdowns. Over 65,000 were arrested, with thousands beaten by police.

Clergy Under Surveillance

Authorities have targeted clergy who supported protests or sheltered demonstrators at churches. They have summoned clerics for "preventive" political talks, monitored sermons, and scrutinized websites and social media. The Viasna human rights group reports over 1,200 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and 29 priests.

While Orthodox Christians constitute about 80% of Belarus's population, Catholics make up just under 14%, with Protestants accounting for 2%. The whereabouts of the released priests remain unknown. Many political prisoners freed this year were taken to Lithuania without passports or documents.

With inputs from PTI