In a significant diplomatic development, Belarus has released two Roman Catholic priests from prison following high-level talks with the Vatican, signalling a potential thaw in Minsk's relations with the West.
Details of the Release
The release, which occurred on Thursday, 20 November 2025, was confirmed by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus. The move comes amidst broader speculation about warming relations, a shift that began after a phone call in August between authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and US President Donald Trump that led to the release of other political prisoners.
The Rev. Henrykh Akalatovich, a 65-year-old cleric, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2023 on a treason conviction after he was accused of spying for Poland and the Vatican. He had served two years of his sentence. Akalatovich, known for criticising the government in his sermons, vehemently denied the charges, calling them based on “lies, threats, and blackmail.” His arrest marked the first time politically driven charges were levelled against Roman Catholic clergy in Belarus since the nation's independence following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Also freed was The Rev. Andrzej Yukhnevich, who was serving a 13-year sentence after being convicted on child molestation charges in April. Yukhnevich had denied the accusations, and human rights activists asserted he was originally arrested for “political reasons.” He had been detained four times previously, including for the act of posting a Ukrainian flag on social media.
The Diplomatic Path to Freedom
The priests' liberation followed a visit to Belarus in October by a papal envoy, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti. Cardinal Gugerotti is a former Vatican ambassador to Belarus who now leads the Holy See office responsible for eastern rite Catholics.
The Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus welcomed the development, stating they were pleased with “the resumption of dialogue between Belarus and the United States, and the strengthening of contacts with the Vatican.” The immediate whereabouts of the two freed priests remain unknown. Dozens of other political prisoners released this year have been taken to Lithuania, often without their passports or personal documents.
Broader Context of Repression
Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the news, expressing her “deepest gratitude to Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See for their principled support.” She added, “Many other believers remain behind bars. Repression must end — no one should be punished for their faith.”
Akalatovich and Yukhnevich are among dozens of clergy—from Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant faiths—who have been jailed, silenced, or forced into exile for protesting the disputed 2020 election that kept Lukashenko in power. Rallies against that vote, which international observers said was marred by fraud, triggered a brutal police crackdown leading to more than 65,000 arrests and thousands being beaten.
Clergy who supported the protests and offered shelter to demonstrators in their churches were specifically targeted. Belarusian authorities have openly worked to bring clerics into line, repeatedly summoning them for “preventive” political talks, inspecting their websites and social media, and deploying security services to monitor sermons.
According to the Viasna human rights group, more than 1,200 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. This number includes 29 priests. While Orthodox Christians constitute about 80% of Belarus's population, just under 14% are Catholic, and 2% are Protestant.
