Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of playing games with the West by drip-feeding releases of political prisoners ahead of an election on Sunday in which he is set to extend his 31-year rule.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned another 15 prisoners shortly before the country's presidential election this weekend, state media reported on Friday. The state news agency BelTa reported that the released prisoners include eight who are serving sentences for extremism,

Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya criticizes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's pre-election release of political prisoners as a deceitful tactic to appeal to the West. She urges the cessation of repression and the release of all prisoners,