Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish journalist and political prisoner in Belarus, has been transferred from solitary confinement to a regular prison cell, according to the Belarusian independent news outlet Nasza Niwa. The update, shared on Tuesday, also revealed that Poczobut is now receiving letters from his family and has occasional access to his lawyer.
Nasza Niwa reported the news during a solidarity event held in Białystok. While details about Poczobut’s condition remain scarce, it is known that he had recently been held in solitary confinement.
Poczobut was arrested on March 25, 2021, and has been imprisoned since. In early 2023, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony following a politically charged trial. The Belarusian authorities accused him of “inciting hatred” and linked his efforts to promote Polish heritage and journalistic work to “Nazi rehabilitation” and “actions harmful to Belarus.”
Human rights organizations have labeled Poczobut a political prisoner, condemning his prosecution as politically motivated. Poland has repeatedly demanded his release and the dismissal of the fabricated charges against him. In response to his unjust conviction, Poland closed the Bobrowniki border crossing with Belarus.