Andrzej Poczobut returns to Belarus four months after release from penal colony

Border crossing at Bobrowniki

Journalist and Polish minority activist Andrzej Poczobut crossed the border from Poland into Belarus at the Bobrowniki crossing on Tuesday morning, 8 September 2026. The Belarusian citizen of Polish nationality made the journey accompanied by his daughter, Jana Poczobut, confirming his arrival on the Belarusian side of the border shortly after crossing. His planned trip is scheduled to last approximately one week. His itinerary begins in Brzostowica Wielka, a locality tied to his family history, where he plans to visit his former home and the local cemetery. From there, Poczobut intends to travel to his hometown of Grodno to reunite with his wife, parents, and colleagues.

Motivations and Union of Poles activity

Poczobut consistently maintained following his release that he intended to return to Grodno to support the Polish minority and the Union of Poles in Belarus (ZPB). He first outlined his September return during a briefing in Białystok on 10 June 2026, reiterating his commitment in July at the Media and Art Festival in Darłowo, where he spoke of dedicating more than 20 years to the organisation. The ZPB General Board met in Białystok on the Saturday before his departure and decided to postpone its planned congress by six months to March 2027. ZPB president Andżelika Borys explained that holding the gathering posed legal risks because the Belarusian government has refused to recognise the organization since 2005. Despite the postponement, Poczobut proceeded with his journey, stating that local activists still required his physical presence in the country.

I am going to support the activities of the Union of Poles in Belarus. These people need my presence; when we talk, they ask when I will arrive.

Detention history and prisoner exchange

Belarusian authorities originally arrested Poczobut in March 2021. In February 2023, a court sentenced him to eight years in a maximum-security penal colony on charges of inciting hatred and calling for actions against national security. Human rights organisations recognized him as a political prisoner, while Polish authorities repeatedly demanded his release during contacts with Minsk. While in custody, Belarusian officials made three separate proposals to release him on condition of permanent exile to Poland, starting with an offer in 2021 during an interrogation at the investigative committee, all of which Poczobut rejected. He was released on 28 April 2026 in a prisoner exchange between Belarus and Poland, facilitated through international diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Moldova, and Romania. After arriving in Poland, he underwent hospital treatment, was named an honorary citizen of Opole and Sopot, and received the Order of the White Eagle from Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

Opposition reaction and security assessments

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya praised Poczobut's return, describing his action as an act of extraordinary personal courage that relies on international attention for safety. Poczobut acknowledged the dangers of re-entering Belarus, noting that he was aware of the possibility of re-arrest. However, he evaluated that the authorities in Minsk would find renewed imprisonment inconvenient while attempting to unfreeze diplomatic relations with Western nations. In discussions prior to his departure, he stated that Belarus had moved closer to totalitarianism and that someone needed to assess the situation on the ground, adding that fear should not govern personal decisions.

We must continue to fight for a Belarus in which every person has the right to return home without fear.