Polish language school closes Belarusian office after police raid

January 6, Pozirk. The PanProfesor school of Polish language announced yesterday the closure of its office in Belarus after coming under pressure from local law-enforcement agencies.

“Two weeks ago representatives of certain special services ‘visited’ one of our employees in Minsk, and also searched the office,” the school said on Facebook. “Later we learned that PanProfesor was not the only company that suffered that morning, December 21, 2023. Directors, employees and teachers of several other Polish courses were detained. Some of them were forced to ‘repent’ on video. Teaching Polish was added to the usual list of charges.”

Law-enforcement officials accused PanProfesor of “numerous violations” and debts (“which is absolutely not true”) and claimed to have received an “anonymous report” against the company. They insisted that the school take down its ads, close its office and dissolve.

Lacking the resources to resist the pressure, the company decided to close the Belarusian branch. Current clients would complete their studies online through a Polish partner.

On December 21, pro-government Telegram channels reported that the interior ministry’s GUBOPiK unit raided Polskipro, a Polish language school in Minsk, and detained its staff and managers. The school’s website and social media accounts have disappeared.