Belarusian authorities released Andrzej Poczobut, recognized as a political prisoner, as part of a prisoner exchange with Poland carried out on the border of the two countries. The exchange took place in a five-for-five format and involved a total of ten prisoners. Poczobut spent more than five years in a Belarusian prison, since March 2021, when he was arrested by Alexander Lukashenko's services. The 2025 Sakharov Prize laureate was sentenced to eight years in prison in a trial that the international community recognized as politically motivated. Onet Wiadomosci ↗ aktuality.sk ↗
Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed Poczobut at the border, greeting him with the words "Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to the Polish home, Friend." The head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, revealed that Poczobut is "starved and exhausted" and that he spent 1860 days in prison under a strict regime. The minister also revealed the journalist's first words, who asked: "Will I be able to go back there?". Onet Wiadomosci ↗ The Guardian ↗
As part of the exchange, Poland handed over five prisoners, including Russian archaeologist Aleksandr Butyagin. Among the people released by Belarus was also Polish monk Grzegorz Gawel and a second Polish citizen. Poczobut was a correspondent in Belarus and an active official of the Union of Poles in Belarus, for which he was repeatedly subjected to persecution and repression by the regime. Spiegel.de ↗ Independent ↗
Belarus released journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Poland handed over five prisoners
This summary was generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies. Please verify information in the original sources below.
Sources (20)
Lukašenko pustil známeho disidenta. Poľsko a Bielorusko si na hranici vymenili päť väzňov za päť
aktuality.sk
| 15:13 28.04.
Donald Tusk o pierwszych słowa Andrzeja Poczobuta. "Będę mógł tam wrócić?"
Onet Wiadomosci
| 14:25 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut wolny. Program specjalny Onetu
Onet Wiadomosci
| 17:26 28.04.
Uwolnienie Andrzeja Poczobuta. Donald Tusk ujawnił szczegóły
Onet Wiadomosci
| 16:28 28.04.
Journalist Andrzej Poczobut freed from prison in Belarus in US-brokered swap deal
The Guardian
| 16:01 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut : Belarus lässt inhaftierten Journalisten frei
Spiegel.de
| 14:35 28.04.
W jakim stanie jest Andrzej Poczobut? Radosław Sikorski ujawnia
Onet Wiadomosci
| 14:33 28.04.
Belarus frees journalist Andrzej Poczobut in prisoner swap
Independent
| 14:17 28.04.
Polsko a Bělorusko si vyměnily deset vězňů
novinky.cz
| 14:02 28.04.
Bělorusko a Polsko si vyměnily vězně, je mezi nimi i novinář Pačobut
seznamzpravy.cz
| 13:55 28.04.
Prowadzi tajne rozmowy z Łukaszenką, pomógł uwolnić Andrzeja Poczobuta. Kim jest John Coale
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:47 28.04.
Sławomir Sierakowski: uwolnienie Andrzeja Poczobuta otwiera, a nie zamyka sprawę
Onet Wiadomosci
| 16:26 28.04.
Wymiana więźniów z Białorusi. Jest nazwisko kolejnego uwolnionego Polaka
Onet Wiadomosci
| 14:27 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut uwolniony. Wiadomo, kogo Polska oddała w zamian
Onet Wiadomosci
| 14:25 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut na wolności. Politycy nie kryją radości. "Naszej radości nie ma końca"
Onet Wiadomosci
| 14:13 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut uwolniony. Radosław Sikorski przekazał nowe informacje
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:33 28.04.
Karol Nawrocki reaguje na uwolnienie Andrzeja Poczobuta
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:28 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut wraca do domu. Opozycjonista został uwolniony [RELACJA NA ŻYWO]
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:19 28.04.
Andrzej Poczobut na wolności. Donald Tusk pokazał zdjęcie
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:16 28.04.
Nie ugiął się przed reżimem Łukaszenki, po latach wychodzi na wolność. Kim jest Andrzej Poczobut
Onet Wiadomosci
| 13:15 28.04.
🔥 You might also like
World
Trump announced preparations for a huge Belarusian potash deal. Lukashenko said the same day that there are no free volumes
Trump announced a deal at a lower price than Canada's. Minsk said the same day it has no free volumes. And the road to America runs through Klaipėda.
European Union
What Europe is writing about: Russia closed the German consulate, Bosnia withdraws its embassy from Belgrade, Serbia heads for a snap election
Russia has retaliated over Leipzig by closing its consulate in St Petersburg and the Goethe-Instituts. Bosnia is withdrawing its embassy from Belgrade and Serbi …
European Union
What Europe is Writing About: Putin Signed Three Secret Decrees, Kurdish Forces in Syria Dissolved, US Not Planning Strikes on Iran for Now
Putin signed three secret decrees on the day of unannounced CIA chief's trip to Moscow, Kurdish forces in Syria dissolved, US not planning strikes on Iran for n …
© HotInfo
Geographic locations
From our newsroom original
All →
White House Denies Entry to CNN, MS NOW and Politico Journalists
René Benko's Two-and-a-Half-Year Sentence for Fraudulent Bankruptcy Is Final. Neither Prosecution nor Defense Appealed
Motoristé Face Criticism Over Budget Deficit and Money for Pensioners
Fury and Joshua to Meet on 11 December in Cardiff
SBU: soldier allegedly guided a Russian strike onto his own unit. The target was a drone repair shop; the FSB, it says, recruited him through a relative
Romania’s anti-drone systems failed acceptance tests. The next day, a drone crashed near Suceava; F-16s did not shoot it down
A Gallic rampart found beneath a Paris hospital could settle the dispute over where Caesar's Lutetia lay
EU Drops Usmanov and Fridman, Baku Soon Releases a Frenchman
