Andrzej Poczobut exchanged for Lukashenka's spies arrested in Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met Poczobut at the border. "Welcome to the Polish home, friend," he captioned the photo on Twitter.

Andrzej Poczobut is a journalist from Grodno, a long-time correspondent for the Polish publication Gazeta Wyborcza and a member of the "Union of Poles in Belarus". Belarusians and Poland fought for his release for five years.

According to BelTA, an exchange of detainees following the "five for five" formula took place on the border between Belarus and Poland.

"What is happening is the culmination of a complex and prolonged negotiation process between the KGB of Belarus and the Polish Intelligence Agency," BelTA writes.

According to the agency, negotiations began in September 2025. "The starting point for their organization was an appeal to Alexander Lukashenka by individual leaders of countries friendly to us," BelTA quotes its interlocutor. It likely refers to an appeal from the USA.

According to the state agency, special services from seven countries participated in the exchange.

"Thanks to the balanced position and the parties' focus on finding mutually beneficial solutions, it was possible to overcome disagreements and achieve a positive result," BelTA writes.

As a result of the operation, ten citizens of different countries were released. Belarus and Russia released three citizens of Poland and two citizens of Moldova. Among the Polish citizens, Andrzej Poczobut is implied. It appears he has dual citizenship, Belarusian and Polish.

In return, five citizens "detained in various EU countries and other states" left the European Union. These are citizens of Belarus, Russia, and other CIS countries. Among them, Poland handed over the arrested archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Russia. He was arrested at Ukraine's request for excavations in Crimea.

According to BelTA, Andrzej Poczobut was released at the request of his mother and Anzhelika Borys.

Poczobut's exchange took place in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha at the Pererov – Belovezha pedestrian-bicycle border crossing point.

Poczobut was welcomed to freedom by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Poczobut held a Belarusian passport in his hands.

Earlier today in Warsaw, a meeting took place between the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski and the US President's Special Representative for Belarus. "Important matters," Sikorski commented on their meeting on X.

"My team and I helped secure the release of three Polish citizens and two Moldovan citizens. This historic outcome was made possible by the leadership of President Trump, Chris Smith and his team at the State Department, and close coordination with several trusted partners. We thank Poland, Moldova, and Romania for their invaluable support in these efforts, and President Lukashenka for his willingness to constructively engage with the United States," Cole wrote on X.

Павялічыць

Poczobut (right) with a journalist from Polish "Gazeta Wyborcza"

Poczobut was detained on March 25, 2021, in Grodno. Security forces conducted a long search at his home, then took the man to the Minsk Investigative Committee for questioning and eventually left him in Valadarka prison.

A criminal case was opened against him under Part 3 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (inciting hatred). The indictment mentioned that in one of his texts, the journalist called the USSR's attack on Poland in 1939 an aggression; his texts about Belarusian protests, statements in defense of the Polish minority in Belarus, and an article from as far back as 2006 about one of the leaders of the Polish anti-communist underground in the Grodno region were also added to the charges. Later, a charge under Part 3 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code (calls for sanctions) was added.

In 2023, Poczobut was sentenced to 8 years in prison, which he served in Novopolotsk penal colony No. 1.

Павялічыць

Poczobut during the trial. Photo: sb.by

During his term, the political prisoner spent at least a year in the cell-type facility (PKT), underwent skin surgery, and suffered from arrhythmia and hypertension.

Polish politicians and diplomats fought hard for Poczobut's release, even closing the "Bobrowniki" border crossing. During his imprisonment, Andrzej was awarded Poland's highest state honor — the Order of the White Eagle. He also received the Sakharov Prize — awarded by the European Parliament to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the fight for human rights.

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