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
- PoliticsTeach kids courage to be themselves, Cichanoŭskaja says on Children's DayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsParty of European Socialists voices solidarity with partners in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- EconomyCentral bank: confidence in rubel growingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPro-Łukašenka party enjoys deep discounts on property rentalsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyRussia sends three batches of dairy products back to BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityZapad-2025 scaled down due to Russia's limited capacity – ISWThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityRussia refuses to exchange Belarusian POWs – ZelenskyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyMinistry eyes business deregulationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLocal newspaper site inaccessibleThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsAmbrazievič assumes ambassador duties in VaticanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsActivist Bahinskaja released without punishmentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition calls for preemptive sanctions on MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyNumber of children in Belarus down 25 percent since 2000The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInterior ministry brands Catholic priest, 27 others as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Economy
- Politics
- Politics, SecurityTop security officers hold briefing for regional officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security