Borys denies reports that Pačobut refuses to leave Belarus

August 12, Pozirk. Polish minority activist Andrej Pačobut (Andrzej Poczobut) agreed to leave Belarus if released from prison, Rzeczpospolita reported.

The daily cited Anžalika Borys (Andżelika Borys), a Hrodna-based Polish minority leader who met with the prisoner in April.

“He agreed to leave the country at my request. Andrzej looked very bad. My heart sank,” Borys said.

Last week, Małgorzata Paprocka, head of the Polish President’s Chancellery, said Pačobut “does not want to leave Belarus without being able to return there someday.”

The prisoner’s position needs to be taken “very seriously,” she told TVN24, commenting on efforts to negotiate Pačobut’s release.

Rzeczpospolita also reported that Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak denied the August 9 claim by Juryj Vaskrasienski, a Belarusian pro-government activist, that Warsaw had rejected Łukašenka’s “goodwill” proposal to free Pačobut.

According to Siemoniak, Łukašenka has never made such a proposal.

“We have insisted on Pačobut’s release for months. The Belarusian side has never proposed it in any form, either directly or as part of a major international or bilateral swap,” the minister said.

On July 17, Siemoniak said that if Belarus agreed to release Pačobut, stop facilitating illegal migration and help Poland arrest a suspect in the murder of Sgt. Mateusz Sitek, Warsaw would be willing to build relations “more pragmatically.”

In February 2023, the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Pačobut to eight years in prison after Judge Dźmitryj Bubienčyk found him guilty of inciting hatred and calling for sanctions. Human rights defenders declared Pačobut political prisoner.

According to unconfirmed reports, Pačobut refused to petition Alaksandar Łukašenka for pardon.

In response to Pačobut’s imprisonment, Poland closed the Babrowniki crossing at the border with Belarus.

Also read: Pačobut would like to come back to Belarus if released – Polish official