Finally Andrei Sannikov is released. First of all I like to congratulate him regaining freedom and being again united with his son and his wife Iryna Chalip who fought the whole time courageously for his pardon.
Despite the preliminary personal happy end for the former Belarusian presidential candidate questions still rise what exactly president Alexander Lukashenko might have moved to this act of grace. Was it really the political and economical pressure of the European Union which led to his decision? Or was the risk for the Belarusian regime too high that the Northeastern nation could become barred from the prestigious Ice Hockey World Championship 2014? Was it possibly a phone call from his mighty neighbor Vladimir Putin urging him with some arguments, promises or even the consolidation of military contracts between both countries to that step? Or was it just a clever move from the KGB-trained ruler exactly knowing the carrot and stick game to maintain his power so that all released political prisoners have to live under the Damocles sword getting randomly detained again?
Maybe from all a bit. In the meantime Andrei Sannikov, newly shaped without beard, has hold his first public press conference speaking about the harsh conditions during his time in prison. The next weeks and months will show how and if the Belarusian regime is able to maintain its' promises made towards the release of political prisoners like Andrei Sannikov and his campaign coordinator Dmitry Bandarenka.
Meanwhile the European Union prepares to send back their ambassadors to Minsk in the coming days. Still other political prisoners like Siarhey Kavalenka are arrested and their immediate release stays unvariedly demanded. But for the moment the joy and relief about Andrei Sannikov's new gained freedom prevails.
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