Andrzej Poczobut discusses imprisonment and plans return to Belarus

Journalist Andrzej Poczobut, who was released from a Belarusian prison in April, has announced his intention to return to Belarus permanently. Speaking at the Freedom Games in Łódź, Poczobut detailed his experience during more than five years of imprisonment, which included time in labor camps, solitary confinement, hunger, and exposure to extreme cold.

Poczobut stated that he refused to capitulate or sign requests for clemency in exchange for exile to Poland, asserting that his internal freedom remained intact. He described the current state of Belarus as being “five minutes away from totalitarianism,” noting that while the space for free speech has been destroyed, the regime’s heavy repression indicates a fear of its own citizens.

Reflecting on his recent visit to his hometown of Grodno, Poczobut noted a sense of emptiness, observing that many former acquaintances now live in cities like Warsaw or Vilnius. He also reported that Belarusian authorities conducted a formal visit to his apartment shortly after his arrival, though a scheduled summons to a police station was subsequently canceled.