Andrzej Poczobut

Andrzej Poczobut (; born 16 April 1973) is a Belarusian journalist, opposition figure, activist of the Polish minority in Belarus and political prisoner who received a Sakharov Prize in 2025 for opposing the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko.

A correspondent for the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, Poczobut has been arrested more than a dozen times by the government of Belarus. In 2011, he was sentenced to a fine and fifteen days in prison for "participation in the unsanctioned protest rally" following the 2010 presidential election. conditions until he was released on 28 April 2026, in a prisoner exchange between Poland and Belarus. He has been described as a political prisoner. For many years, Poczobut resided in Hrodna and worked as a correspondent for the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, writing about local issues, needs and achievements. Andrzej's main passion has always been history, in particular the World War II and the post-war Polish resistance movement. He referred to the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 as an act of aggression. This statement was cited as evidence of Poczobut's guilt at the 2023 trial on charges of damaging the national security of Belarus and "sowing discord".

Poczobut was one of the leaders of the Union of Poles in Belarus. Another Polish journalist, Ihar Bantsar, was sentenced to five days in prison for covering the trial.

In November 2011, the Polish radio station Radio ZET awarded him its Andrzej Wojciechowski prize for his journalism. Because Poczobut was forbidden to leave Belarus, his wife accepted the award on his behalf. Poczobut was released on bail after a week in detention, but was told a trial against him would still be forthcoming.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution urging that the charges against Poczobut be dropped. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk summoned the Belarusian ambassador to object to the libel case, and stated that he also had the backing of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. RSF again protested the charges, describing Poczobut as "hounded because of his determination to work as an independent reporter", PEN American Center also appealed on his behalf, urging the Belarusian government "to drop all charges against Poczobut immediately, and to uphold their obligations to protect freedom of expression for all citizens as guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

2021 extremism charges

As a part of the crackdown on the Union of Poles in Belarus, he was arrested again on 25 March 2021. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell condemned the arrest. In February 2023, he was sentenced to eight years in labour camp. He was then released on 28 April 2026 as part of Belarus' prisoner exchange with Poland.

Awards and recognition

In 2011 and 2021, Poczobut was awarded the title of Journalist of the Year at the Polish journalistic contest Grand Press.

In April 2023, together with Mortaza Behboudi, he was awarded the IAPC Freedom of Speech Award.

In March 2024, Newsweek Poland named Poczobut The Figure of the Decade.

In October 2025, Poczobut shared the annual EU award Sakharov Prize with Georgian jailed journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, which was received on his behalf by his daughter Jana on 16 December 2025.

On 11 November 2025, during the Polish Independence Day, President of Poland Karol Nawrocki awarded Poczobut in absentia with an Order of the White Eagle for "actively and decisively confronting the manifestations of resurgent neo-totalitarian regimes". On 3 May 2026, during the festivities of 3 May Constitution Day, Poczobut accepted the order in person.

Personal life Poczobut was born on 16 April 1973 in Vyalikaya Byerastavitsa. He is married to Aksana Poczobut. He has a daughter Jana (born c. 2001)

Poczobut is a Candidate Master of Sports in chess and an amateur musician, co-founder of the Deviation punk-rock band.