Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned Rico Krieger, a 30-year-old German citizen who was awaiting execution after he was convicted for terrorism in June. 

The decision comes as rumours swirl in Russian opposition circles that a prisoner swap  for US citizens held in Russian jails and a Russian assassin held in a German cell will be completed soon.

Rico Krieger's pardon coincides with reports that at least six Russian political prisoners, including Memorial co-founder Oleg Orlov and opposition politician Ilya Yashin, have been relocated to undisclosed locations. These movements came less than two weeks after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were given jail sentences following rushed trials. The German Foreign Ministry has also admitted being in talks with authorities in Minsk concerning Krieger’s case.

In June, a Belarusian court accused Krieger of participating in an attack on a railway station, allegedly orchestrated by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU). He was convicted of committing an act of terrorism, engaging in clandestine intelligence activities, mercenary actions and creating or participating in an extremist organisation. Additionally, he was found guilty of possessing and transporting explosives and explosive devices as part of an organised group, as well as intentionally damaging communication routes, which could have led to human casualties, wrecks, accidents and other severe consequences.

As a result, he was sentenced to death in the only European country that still carries out the death penalty. In Belarus, capital punishment is administered by shooting, and those executed are buried in secret.

On June 25, in an videotaped confession where a distraught and handcuffed Krieger appeared to admit to his guilt and said it was “the worst mistake of my life.” Krieger, likely under duress, confessed to collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence, speaking through an interpreter. During the interview, he pleaded for mercy from Lukashenko and appealed to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for help.

“Mr Scholz, please, I am still alive,” Krieger said. “It is not yet too late.”

On July 30, Belarusian state media reported that Lukashenko had invited key figures involved in Krieger's case to a meeting, after which a pardon was announced.

“Rico Krieger was found guilty under six articles of the Criminal Code and was sentenced to death,” Belarusian news outlet Belta stated. “As it has been reported, Krieger filed a clemency petition with the Belarusian president. The head of state made a decision to grant him clemency, taking into account all the circumstances.”

As reported by bne IntelliNews, Krieger’s death sentence may be part of Kremlin’s prisoner swap deal preparations. Speculation is mounting that the Kremlin wants to trade US journalist Evan Gershkovich who was recently sentence to 16 years in a Russian jail on espionage charges together with a second journalists, US-Russian Alsu Kurmasheva who is also in jail for the Chechen-born FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov who is serving life in Germany for the so-called Tiergarten shooting.

The German foreign ministry told German press they are already in talks with their Belarusian counterparts in connection with Krieger’s case.

BelTA news agency reported that President Lukashenko has sought advice from those involved in Krieger's case. "Rico Krieger is a German citizen. Turns out he was born merely in 1993. A Belarusian court sentenced him to the death penalty," Lukashenko said, noting the serious nature of the decision.

"According to our constitution and laws, the president always has the final say. Whether he was petitioned or not… I have already said at some point that the toughest thing a president ever has to do is decide on cases related to the death penalty. But the decision has to be made," he explained.

Krieger was convicted by the Minsk Regional Court for committing acts of terrorism, collaborating with foreign intelligence with the intent to harm Belarus' national security, espionage, mercenarism, and creating or participating in an extremist organization.

He was also found guilty of the illegal possession and transportation of explosives and deliberate damage to transport routes. Krieger did not appeal the verdict, which has since become final.

Krieger had previously worked as a medical professional for the German Red Cross and as a security officer at the US Embassy in Berlin, according to his social media profiles.