Poczobut Freed in US-Backed Belarus Prisoner Swap
Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, jailed since 2021 in a Belarusian penal colony, was released after five years as part of a US‑brokered prisoner exchange involving Belarus, Poland, Moldova and other countries; three Poles and two Moldovans were released in the deal. The release, confirmed by Polish PM Donald Tusk, follows broader Western efforts to engage Lukashenko and comes as Poczobut is noted as a 2025 Sakharov prize laureate. U.S. envoy John Coale signaled ongoing talks for further prisoner releases, while health concerns and reports of prolonged solitary confinement in Belarusian prisons have been raised in relation to his detention.