Andrzej Poczobut at European Parliament: Authorities Told Me I Am Too Polish

Polish journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut, recently freed after 1,860 days of imprisonment, accepted the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize on Wednesday, condemning the Belarusian regime’s campaign against ethnic Poles.

The Cost of Identity

Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and prominent figure within the Polish minority in Belarus, officially accepted the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on June 17. The award honors his long-standing commitment to truth despite years of unjust incarceration.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola emphasized that the prize recognizes his courage and unwavering values. She stated that Poczobut’s release strengthens Europe’s resolve to support those persecuted for defending democracy and fundamental freedoms.

A Regime’s Demand for Assimilation

Poczobut described the Belarusian regime’s attitude toward the Polish minority as viewing them as dangerous heretics who must be eradicated. He explained that the regime’s ultimatum for Poles is total assimilation: abandoning their history, identity, and native language to become Belarusian.

During his detention, interrogators explicitly told Poczobut that his “sin” was being too Polish and that people like him should not exist. He stressed that this message is not aimed solely at him, but at the entire Polish community in Belarus.

Gratitude for International Support

While imprisoned, Poczobut learned of the Sakharov Prize and the statements issued by the European Parliament in his defense. He noted that the international attention regarding his fate noticeably influenced the behavior of his prison guards.

Years of Repression

Andrzej Poczobut served as a correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza in Grodno for two decades before being arrested in 2021. He was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony and was only released in late April as part of a prisoner exchange between Poland and Belarus.

His daughter, Jana, accepted the award on his behalf last December while he was held in a high-security penal colony in Novopolotsk. In May, Poczobut also received a special award from Gazeta Wyborcza, presented by Adam Michnik.