VILNIUS, Lithuania — Belarus has been accused of the “forced deportation” of dozens of political prisoners released in a U.S.-led deal, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Friday.

Belarus freed 52 political prisoners Thursday as part of a deal brokered by the United States, which lifted some sanctions on the country’s national airline. The deal is the latest step toward a possible rapprochement between Washington and Minsk, a close ally of Russia that has faced Western isolation for years.

“Of course, we are so happy to see people free, but let’s be honest, what happened yesterday wasn’t real freedom. It was forced deportation,” Tsikhanouskaya told a news conference Friday.

She said that her team would work with partners in the U.S. to stop the practice for future releases.

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