A writer and activist of the Polish number in Belarus, Andrzej Poczobut, who was sentenced to 8 years in prison, agreed to leave the country in April – revealed Andzelika Borys, head of the Union of Poles in Belarus (ZPB). This information was provided by the paper Rzeczpospolita.
According to the findings of the ‘Rzeczpospolita’, Boris was the only individual outside the ellipse of the Belarusian government to have had the chance to meet Pochobut since his arrest. The gathering took place in April that year and lasted 2 and a half hours. During the interview, the writer agreed to leave Belarus as a consequence of Boris' direct request.
Her gathering with Pochobut and the decision of writer Boris discussed during the gathering with president Andrzej Duda, which took place on 15 April.
Policy context and reactions
Borys' disclosure of details of Pochobut's decision takes place in the context of a increasing debate in Poland on the situation of political prisoners, especially after the exchange of prisoners between Russia and the United States. There has been speculation late suggesting that Pochobut would not want to leave Belarus, which Boris decided to dement.
Andrzej Poczobut has been in captivity for years
For years, Polish authorities have been seeking the release of Andrzej Pochobut. Despite many attempts, Belarus has never proposed to release a journalist, either as part of global prisoner exchanges or as part of bilateral negotiations.
Another Polish government, as Siemoniak assured, continues to act in favour of Pochobut, although not all of them can be publically disclosed.
Increase of tensions between Poland and Belarus
The situation of Andrzej Poczobut is 1 of the points of inflammation in relations between Poland and Belarus. Pochobut, a well-known critic of Alexander Lukashenka's regime, has been working for the Polish number in Belarus for many years. His arrest and conviction for 8 years in prison was widely condemned by global organizations. Critics were expressed by governments of Western countries, including Poland, which repeatedly called for his release.
The future of Pochobut. What's next?
Although Pochobut agreed to leave Belarus, his future remains uncertain. The Belarusian government has not made any authoritative proposals for its release. This situation shows complex global relations and difficulties. Poland struggles with them in the defence of its citizens and representatives of minorities in authoritarian countries.
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