Poczobut Visits Office Of Union Of Poles In Belarus In Hrodna

Former political prisoner and journalist Andrzej Poczobut visited the office of the Union of Poles in Belarus in Hrodna. He reported about it on Facebook and published photos from the meeting.

“Today I was at our office in Hrodna. A lot of emotions, a lot of stories about how people lived through and survived the wave of repression in 2021–2023, which then swept over our organization. Moving stories from teachers about how they hid lists of students so that they and their parents would not be subjected to repression… Or words about how no one was sure whether the children would come to school in September 2021 and whether they would be afraid. They came. Only a few families refused. To paraphrase the famous film, ‘Związek Polaków have a reputation’ (‘The Union of Poles has a reputation’),” he wrote.

It was previously reported that on Sept. 8, Andrzej Poczobut, as he had promised, returned to Belarus. He crossed the Polish-Belarusian border before noon. Poczobut planned to meet with his family and fellow members of the Union of Poles in Belarus.

Belarusian journalist of Polish origin Andrzej Poczobut was detained in March 2021. In February 2023, he was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of inciting hatred and calling for sanctions. In April 2026, the journalist was released as part of a “5-for-5” exchange and handed over to Poland.