Andrzej Poczobut stays in segregation without medication
Marek Zaniewski, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Poles of Belarus, reported this during a regular solidarity event in Bialystok that the Union of Poles of Belarus and the Podlasie branch of Wspólnota Polska organize monthly.
“This is our third year gathering despite the weather, time of year, rain, snow, and frost. And we will continue to gather and raise awareness about Andrzej Poczobut, who is currently imprisoned in Novapolatsk Correctional Facility and is experiencing health issues. He urgently needs heart medication, as his condition worsens each day with higher blood pressure and slower heart rhythm. Unfortunately, we are unsure how to provide him with the necessary help and support,” said Mr Zaniewski.
Marek Zaniewski spoke about the challenging situation faced by the political prisoner in the penitentiary during the rally.
“The family gets only a few letters from him. The letters tell us that he is still in segregation and doesn’t get the medicine he needs every day. We are doing everything we can to learn more and follow his situation,” he says.
Andrzej Poczobut was arrested in Hrodna, Belarus on 25 March 2021 and accused of inciting national hatred for an article about the Soviet attack on Poland in September 1939. In the article, the journalist referred to the Soviet invasion of Poland as an act of aggression.
The evidentiary materials in the case also contained the journalist’s defense of the Polish minority in Belarus, an article about the quashing of Belarusian protests in 2020, and a 2006 piece about one of the leaders of the anti-communist movement in the Hrodna region of Belarus.
The journalist was sentenced to 8 years of incarceration on 8 February 2023. He was recently transferred to a Secure Housing Unit for six months and will stay there until February 2024.
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