MINSK, July 1. /TASS/. Ahead of Belarus's Independence Day, President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 32 convicts, including 28 individuals serving sentences for extremist offenses, according to the Telegram channel "Pul Pervogo", which is close to the Belarusian presidential press service.

The pardons included 20 women and 12 men. The decision was described as being grounded in "the principle of humanism toward the convicts and their families," the channel noted.

All those pardoned had submitted petitions for clemency, acknowledging their guilt and expressing remorse.