Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Belarus Releases 3 People, Including an American and a Jailed Journalist
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 month ago on
February 12, 2025

People follow a virtual speech of President Donald Trump at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

WASHINGTON — Belarus has released three people, including an American and a journalist, who had been detained for more than three years, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The name of the American and the alleged offense for which the person was held were not disclosed by the White House. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty identified one of those freed as one of its journalists, Andrey Kuznechyk, who was arrested in 2021 near his home in Minsk as authorities there launched a multipronged crackdown on the country’s independent media.

“This is a joyous day for Andrey, his wife, and their two young children. After more than three years apart, this family is together again thanks to President Trump,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President Stephen Capus said in a statement that also thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Lithuanian government.

The news organization said Kuznechyk had been charged with participating in an extremist organization and sentenced to prison but that U.S. officials and press freedom organizations have called him a political prisoner and pressed for his release.

The releases were announced one day after the White House trumpeted a prisoner swap with Russia that brought home American schoolteacher Marc Fogel of Pennsylvania after he was in custody for more than three years.

Trump had foreshadowed the additional news at the White House on Wednesday night by saying another person would be coming home on Wednesday.

“It’s a remarkable victory on the heels of Marc Foley returning to America last night,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters of the releases by Belarus.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

FDA Launches Recall for Thousands of Coca-Cola Cans

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Faces Teacher Uproar Over Slashing Designated Schools

DON'T MISS

Wilmer Flores’ 3-Run Homer in the 9th Inning Propels Giants to Victory Over Reds

DON'T MISS

Environmental Attorneys Want $2 Million From City of Fresno

DON'T MISS

Lululemon Theft in Fresno Leads to Arrests of Two Suspects

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Convicted of Stealing Thousands of Catalytic Converters

DON'T MISS

Trump Challenges California on Transgender Parental Notification

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Fatal Crash Ejects Driver, Who Is Then Struck by Car

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police to Conduct DUI Patrols on Saturday

DON'T MISS

Fresno Mayor Praises a State Bill That Would Speed In-Fill Housing

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Faces Teacher Uproar Over Slashing Designated Schools

UP NEXT

Wilmer Flores’ 3-Run Homer in the 9th Inning Propels Giants to Victory Over Reds

UP NEXT

Environmental Attorneys Want $2 Million From City of Fresno

UP NEXT

Lululemon Theft in Fresno Leads to Arrests of Two Suspects

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Convicted of Stealing Thousands of Catalytic Converters

UP NEXT

Trump Challenges California on Transgender Parental Notification

UP NEXT

Fresno County Fatal Crash Ejects Driver, Who Is Then Struck by Car

UP NEXT

Fresno Police to Conduct DUI Patrols on Saturday

UP NEXT

Fresno Mayor Praises a State Bill That Would Speed In-Fill Housing

UP NEXT

Prosecutor Seeks 18-Month Suspended Sentence for Depardieu if Convicted of Sexual Assault

Environmental Attorneys Want $2 Million From City of Fresno

2 hours ago

Lululemon Theft in Fresno Leads to Arrests of Two Suspects

3 hours ago

Fresno Man Convicted of Stealing Thousands of Catalytic Converters

3 hours ago

Trump Challenges California on Transgender Parental Notification

4 hours ago

Fresno County Fatal Crash Ejects Driver, Who Is Then Struck by Car

4 hours ago

Fresno Police to Conduct DUI Patrols on Saturday

4 hours ago

Fresno Mayor Praises a State Bill That Would Speed In-Fill Housing

4 hours ago

Prosecutor Seeks 18-Month Suspended Sentence for Depardieu if Convicted of Sexual Assault

5 hours ago

Middle East Latest: Israeli Strikes Kill a Family of 6 and a Hamas Spokesman in Gaza

5 hours ago

Alleged Leader of MS-13 Street Gang on the East Coast Is Arrested in Virginia

5 hours ago

FDA Launches Recall for Thousands of Coca-Cola Cans

A Coca-Cola distributor has initiated a voluntary recall affecting more than 10,000 cans of the popular soft drink after discovering potenti...

1 hour ago

1 hour ago

FDA Launches Recall for Thousands of Coca-Cola Cans

1 hour ago

Fresno Unified Faces Teacher Uproar Over Slashing Designated Schools

2 hours ago

Wilmer Flores’ 3-Run Homer in the 9th Inning Propels Giants to Victory Over Reds

2 hours ago

Environmental Attorneys Want $2 Million From City of Fresno

Two men, Hector Garcia (left), 29, and Gavin Degroot, 23, were arrested in Fresno on Thursday, March 27, 2025, after stealing over $6,000 worth of clothing from Lululemon, with the stolen items later recovered from a community member's lawn. (Fresno PD)
3 hours ago

Lululemon Theft in Fresno Leads to Arrests of Two Suspects

3 hours ago

Fresno Man Convicted of Stealing Thousands of Catalytic Converters

President Donald Trump speaks with Gov. Gavin Newsom after arriving at the Los Angeles Airport, on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. The Trump administration will investigate whether a new California law banning parental notification requirements in schools violates federal policy. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
4 hours ago

Trump Challenges California on Transgender Parental Notification

fresno
4 hours ago

Fresno County Fatal Crash Ejects Driver, Who Is Then Struck by Car

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend