EditBelarus releases prominent journalist in prisoner exchange with Poland
Andrzej Poczobut has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of Belarus’s ethnic Polish community and a critic of the authoritarian regime
Belarus has freed journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut as part of a five-for-five prisoner swap with Poland at their shared border, ending more than five years of imprisonment that drew widespread international condemnation as politically motivated.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the news on social media, posting a photo of himself embracing the freed journalist. “Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend,” Tusk wrote, capturing an emotional moment at the border crossing.
Poczobut, a dual Polish-Belarusian citizen, correspondent for Poland’s influential Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, and a leading figure in Belarus’s Polish minority, was arrested in March 2021 in Hrodno (Grodno). In February 2023, a Belarusian court sentenced him to eight years in a penal colony on charges of “inciting ethnic hostility” and “undermining Belarusian security” by allegedly encouraging sanctions against the regime. His appeals were rejected, and he was held in harsh conditions, including solitary confinement, with reports of deteriorating health and denied medical care for heart issues.
Poland, the European Union, human rights organizations such as PEN International and Amnesty International, and the European Parliament – which nominated him for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought – repeatedly denounced the charges as baseless and politically driven. Poczobut’s case became a symbol of President Alexander Lukashenko’s crackdown on dissent, independent journalism, and the Polish minority following the disputed 2020 presidential election and ensuing protests.
Belarusian state media agency Belta confirmed the “five-for-five” exchange earlier on Tuesday. Details about the other individuals involved have not been fully disclosed in initial reports. The swap marks one of the more notable releases by Lukashenko’s government in recent years.
Decades of activism and repression
Born in 1973, Poczobut has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of Belarus’s ethnic Polish community and a critic of the authoritarian regime. He served on the board of the Union of Poles in Belarus and contributed to both Polish and Belarusian media outlets. His previous brushes with the authorities included arrests and fines related to his coverage of protests and critical reporting on historical and political issues, such as labelling the 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland as aggression.
International pressure for his release intensified over the years, with Polish officials making his freedom a consistent diplomatic priority. Tusk’s government, in power since late 2023, pursued the case through intelligence, diplomatic, and prosecutorial channels, though earlier attempts reportedly stalled.
“The exchange at the Polish-Belarusian border is the finale of a two-year-long intricate diplomatic game, full of dramatic twists. It succeeded thanks to the outstanding work of our services, diplomats, and prosecutors, as well as the tremendous help from our American, Romanian, and Moldovan friends”, Tusk posted on X.
Geopolitical context
This release occurs against the backdrop of a notable US-Belarus rapprochement under President Donald Trump, whose administration’s direct engagement with Minsk – including sanctions relief in exchange for prisoner releases – has facilitated the freeing of hundreds of political prisoners in recent months. The prisoner exchange comes amid tentative signs of limited diplomatic thawing between Poland and Belarus, even as Minsk remains a close ally of Russia. Poland has hosted many Belarusian opposition figures and strongly backed Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Some reports suggest U.S. involvement or broader regional efforts may have facilitated aspects of the deal.
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Caption: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted photos of himself with the freed journalist Andrzej Poczobut. [X account of Donald Tusk]
Updated: April 28, 2026 - 14:56
