Two Belarusian entrepreneurs with links to opposition released after Lukashenko’s surprise jail visit

Alexander Lukashenko stunned the nation on Saturday by meeting several jailed opposition figures in prison

Credit: Maxim Guchek/Belta Pool

Two businessmen linked to the Belarusian opposition movement have been released from jail and placed under house arrest after a surprise meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, the president, in prison.

The unexpected release of the two men who spent weeks behind bars could be pointing to the weakening resolve of the Lukashenko regime two months after his re-election sparked massive opposition protests.

Dmitry Rabtsevich, director of an IT company known for its crowdfunding efforts to support the opposition, and Yuri Voskresensky, a Belarusian businessman who was involved in Viktor Babaryka’s presidential campaign, were released on house arrest on Sunday, state television reported.

Mr Lukashenko’s re-election on Aug 9 was followed by a vicious crackdown on anti-government protesters, leading to thousands of people detained and hundreds injured and tortured in police detention.

The European Union, Britain and other countries have refused to recognise Mr Lukashenko as a legitimate leader and imposed sanctions on him and other Belarusian officials.

Faced with the country’s biggest protests in its post-Soviet history, Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, has dismissed the demonstrators as paid agents and their leaders as criminals.

The 66-year old Belarusian leader stunned the nation on Saturday by arriving at the notorious KGB jail where he sat down with a dozen of opposition figures at a roundtable, ostensibly to discuss potential constitutional reforms.

Speaking to the people that he once dismissed as crooks, Mr Lukashenko told the visibly frail prisoners that “the constitution can’t be written in the street” and that he tries to “convince” their supporters to back down.

Sunday's rally in Minsk was marred by violent detentions of hundreds of protesters

Credit: Reuters

The meeting featured Mr Babaryka, a disqualified presidential candidate who was jailed alongside his son in July, Belarusian American spin doctor Valery Shkliarov and a few other opposition figures.

The Belarusian dictator’s visibly awkward conversation with the jailed opposition figures has been largely perceived as an indication that Mr Lukashenko’s resolve against the protesters is weakening, most likely prompted by his main ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday praised Mr Lukashenko for reaching out to the opposition.

A lawyer for Mr Rabsevitch, an IT executive who was charged with fraud and was also invited to the meeting, confirmed on Monday that he is well and is at home with his family.

The release of another prisoner, Mr Voskresensky, comes a few weeks after he was shown giving comments on state television urging Belarusians to support the government.

Mr Voskresensky’s wife told the news website Tut.by on Sunday that her husband had told her in a letter from jail that he had “no choice” but to speak on state television.

She also said that her husband’s health had deteriorated considerably while in jail. Mr Lukashenko’s prison visit was followed by more police brutality as riot police and plainclothes officers tried to disperse peaceful protesters at a major opposition rally in Minsk on Sunday as well as in other Belarusian cities.

More than 700 people were detained, the Belarusian Interior Ministry said on Monday.