Polish President Andrzej Duda has passionately appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Tuerk, seeking critical assistance and involvement in the distressing case of a Polish minority activist incarcerated by the Belarusian regime.
Amidst a significant gathering marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, President Duda fervently addressed the prevailing human rights landscape. His focus spanned across the dire situations in Belarus and Ukraine, extending to the complex dynamics of the Middle East.
In a sideline encounter during the summit, President Duda engaged in discussions with Tuerk, underscoring the plight of Poles in Belarus, notably shedding light on the predicament of Andrzej Poczobut.
During a subsequent press briefing, the president voiced his appeal, stating, “I implored for support and intervention in the case of Mr. Andrzej Poczobut, wrongfully detained by the Belarusian regime.”
Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and advocate for the Polish minority in Belarus, has remained in confinement since March 25, 2021. His ordeal reached a distressing juncture on February 8, 2023, when he was handed an eight-year sentence in a maximum-security penal facility. The trial, widely regarded as politically charged, commenced on January 16, levying accusations of “incitement to hatred” against Poczobut. His advocacy for Polish heritage and publication of articles in the media were dubiously deemed as “rehabilitation of Nazism.” Additionally, Poczobut faced allegations of instigating actions against the interests of Belarus. Despite an appeal lodged in May, the Supreme Court upheld the verdict, further entrenching his harrowing plight.