Belarus Releases Political Prisoners: Andrzej Poczobut Remains in Jail

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released 123 political prisoners,
a move linked to recent negotiations with the United States and a partial
lifting of sanctions. Among those freed are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales
Bialiatski and prominent opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava, but journalist
Andrzej Poczobut remains imprisoned.

The release, confirmed by the Belarusian state news agency BelTA, follows
discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly requested the
gesture. While hailed by international observers as a positive step, the
exclusion of Poczobut has raised concerns and prompted further scrutiny of
the conditions surrounding the releases.

A Price for Freedom? The Case of Andrzej Poczobut

The Polish Foreign Ministry has vowed to continue efforts to secure
Poczobut’s release. “Together with our partners, we do not cease our efforts
to free Andrzej Poczobut as well,” said ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór in
a statement. However, details surrounding Poczobut’s case are complex.

Sources indicate that Poczobut was offered the opportunity to seek
presidential pardon from Lukashenko, but he declined. Wewiór acknowledged
the existence of a “proposal” for Poczobut, but refrained from elaborating
on the specifics of ongoing negotiations.

“He did not agree, which does not mean that we, together with our partners,
are not continuing to work for his release,” Wewiór added.

“A Sale of Hostages” – Critics Question Lukashenko’s Motives

The decision to exclude Poczobut has fueled criticism that the releases were
not motivated by genuine reform, but rather by a desire to secure sanctions
relief. Julia Juchno, a Belarusian opposition activist based in Italy,
described the situation as “a sale of hostages in exchange for the lifting
of sanctions.”

“According to my information, Andrzej did not agree to this forced release,
because he repeatedly said, as I read, that he did not want to go free in
this way,” Juchno stated. “This is not the first time that Lukashenko has
sold political prisoners in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.”

Juchno also highlighted the impact on the families of those released, noting
that while their freedom is welcome, they have been effectively deported and
separated from their loved ones.

Who is Andrzej Poczobut?

Andrzej Poczobut is a Polish-Belarusian journalist, publicist, and activist
associated with Grodno, a city with a significant Polish minority. He has
been repeatedly arrested for his work and advocacy, most recently in March
2021.

Belarusian authorities have accused him of “rehabilitating Nazism” and
“actions detrimental to Belarus.” In May 2023, he was sentenced to eight
years in a penal colony for inciting hatred and calling for actions against
the state.

Poczobut was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2025, and
he also received Poland’s Order of the White Eagle.

Recent Honors May Have Complicated Release Efforts

Reports suggest that the recent awarding of the Order of the White Eagle to
Poczobut by Polish President Andrzej Duda may have inadvertently
complicated efforts to secure his release. Sources indicate that the
decision was made without consultation with diplomats involved in
negotiations or experts on Belarusian affairs.

According to publicist Witold Jurasz, Lukashenko often views any
recognition of political prisoners as an opportunity to increase the price
for their release. The Sakharov Prize was also seen as potentially
hardening Lukashenko’s position.

The situation underscores the delicate and often fraught nature of
negotiations with authoritarian regimes, where political considerations
often outweigh humanitarian concerns. The international community continues
to call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus,
including Andrzej Poczobut.