Belarus President Pardons Presidential Candidate

Belarus granted early release to one of its most prominent political prisoners in a move that might be intended to ease its strained relationship with the European Union. Belarusian former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, who has been in jail since 2010 on charges of inciting riots after the presidential elections, was released on April 14. In January Sannikov, who was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of inciting protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, asked the president for a pardon. His wife said then that Sannikov had been tortured into writing the request for mercy. After the 2010 presidential elections most presidential candidates were arrested and sentenced to varying prison terms. The European parliament has adopted a resolution demanding that Belarus release 11 political prisoners. However, only two of them, including Sannikov, filed petitions for pardon. “This is their choice – let them remain in jail,” Lukashenko commented on the other prisoners.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20120414/172827975.html
http://www.lenta.ru/news/2012/04/14/sannikov/
http://www.lenta.ru/news/2012/04/15/bondarenko/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/world/europe/belarus-frees-andrei-sannikov-a-political-prisoner.html