Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned Rico Krieger, a German citizen sentenced to death on terrorism charges and fees, the official BelTA news agency reported on Tuesday.
Russia, Belarus’s close best friend, is lately in talks with the West about a possible prisoner swap involving American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been convicted of espionage charges he denies, and other Western detainees in Russia. Key to those negotiations is the possible inclusion of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian sentenced to life in prison in Germany for murder.
Germany proved this month that one of its citizens had been sentenced to death in Belarus, the only European country that still carries out the death penalty. Krieger recently said in an interview on state television that Ukraine’s security SBU asked him to photograph military installations and plant explosives on a railway track in Belarus. The explosion occurred without causing injuries. Despite his repentance and hope of being pardoned, it is unclear whether his statements were made under duress.
Lukashenko, under pressure that, as president, he had the last word in the Krieger case, inviting interested parties to consultations. BelTA posted a photo of Lukashenko with five people, in addition to Krieger’s lawyer. Vladimir Gorbach, Krieger’s lawyer, called the assembly “frank” and expressed hope for a “humanitarian act” by the president.
(With agencies. )