Belarus pardons 2 Catholic priests after talks with Vatican Two Catholic priests in Belarus will be released from prison in an act of \u201cgoodwill\u201d after national leaders engaged in talks with the Vatican. The state media organ BelTA reported on Nov. 20 that Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko \u201cpardoned two Catholic priests convicted of serious crimes against the state.\u201d The pardons of Father Henrykh Akalatovich and Father Andzej Yukhnevich came after \u201cintensification of contacts with the Vatican, as well as the principles of goodwill, mercy, and the jubilee year proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church,\u201d the government media organization said. A separate press release from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus expressed \u201cgratitude to all those who contributed to the release of imprisoned priests.\u201d The bishops thanked both Vatican officials and Belarusian Church leaders for helping maintain \u201ca positive dynamic of bilateral relations based on traditional values, brotherhood, tolerance, and respect for believers.\u201d Akalatovich had been sentenced on Dec. 30, 2024, to 11 years in prison for \u201chigh treason,\u201d a charge that Lukashenko\u2019s regime applies to political prisoners. The priest had reportedly already suffered a heart attack and undergone surgery for cancer before his arrest in November 2023. Reuters, meanwhile, reported that Yukhnevich had been sentenced to 13 years in prison earlier this year on charges of abusing minors. The priest denied those allegations. The human rights group Viasna reported on Nov. 20 that the release came in part \u201cthanks to the visit of Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti,\u201d who serves as prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. Akalatovich previously said his conviction of \u201cspying on behalf of Poland at the Vatican\u201d was a \u201cgross provocation.\u201d There was \u201cnot a word of truth in the case against him, not a single fact that implicates him in espionage, while the entire accusation is based on lies, threats, and blackmail,\u201d the priest said, according to Viasna. During the prosecution of his own case, meanwhile, Yukhnevich \u201cdenied all charges and tried to prove his innocence,\u201d Viasna said. The human rights group claimed that the alleged victims who testified against him \u201cmay have given their testimony under pressure,\u201d though it did not offer any further information. In a 2023 report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said religious freedom conditions in Belarus \u201ccontinued to trend negatively\u201d as the government \u201cpersisted in exerting control over all aspects of society.\u201d The report highlighted the September 2022 closure of the Church of Sts. Simon and Helena in Minsk, which it described as \u201da symbol of political opposition to the Lukashenko regime\u201d during protests in 2020. This article was originally published by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Daniel Payne Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Pope Francis: Cultivate \u2018the inner life\u2019 rather than appearance and image Pope Francis laicizes schismatic Argentine priest Pope Francis to young people: Prepare yourselves for marriage, don\u2019t get divorced Pope Leo\u2019s 100 Days: Top 5 Viral Moments A papacy begins: Pope Leo XIV calls for united Church at inaugural Mass Restoring St. Peter\u2019s Baldachin: A Masterpiece Ready for the Jubilee 2025<\/p>\n