Drama in Lepel. Belarus has arrested a Pole, he is facing 15 years in prison

On Thursday, September 4, Belarusian state tv Belarus 1 reported the arrest of a Polish citizen by the KGB. The detention took place in Lepel, Vitebsk Oblast. According to the narratives of propaganda media, Poles were to have secret material concerning military maneuvers Zapad-2025, organized jointly by Russia and Belarus. Reports show that he contacted a Belarusian citizen via social media and was to persuade him to cooperate with Polish services, offering in return remuneration for providing confidential information.

A Pole has heard the charge of espionage, for which in Belarus he is facing punishment from 7 to 15 years in prison.

Political gameplay

The full situation raises many questions – the Polish diplomatic authorities indicate that the detention of a Polish citizen may be part of the political gameplay conducted by Minsk.

The arrest of a Polish citizen by the Belarusian KGB is another provocation of the Lukashenko government aimed at our country. Polish peculiar services do not usage spiritual to collect information about military maneuvers – wrote Jacek Dobrzyński, Press spokesperson of the Minister of peculiar Services Coordinator.

Deputy Head of the MFA Rafał Bosacki, asked about the case in the program Gozdyra Debate, informed that the ministry reviewed reports concerning the detention of a Polish citizen. However, he pointed out that akin actions from the Belarusian government had already occurred. He said, Of course, it could be provocation, sewn in thick threads..

Like Andrzej Poczobut

Radosław Sikorski, presently residing in the United States, was asked by local journalists about the events that occurred on 4 September in Belarus.

I've got the first hot information, I don't want to speculate yet. We know what the government is, we know what to anticipate from it. We already have Polish prisoners in Belarusian prisons, including Andrzej Pochobut. We're already in an intergovernmental consultation. I am convinced that the substance will not stay unanswered said the politician.

It has been 4 years since Andrzej Poczobut – a journalist, writer and leading typical of the Polish number in Belarus – was detained by the KGB there. Since then, he has been imprisoned in the camp, recognized as 1 of the key hostages of the government of Alexander Lukashenka. For years now he has been active in both journalistic and social activities within the Polish Union in Belarus.