Prisoner exchange between Belarus and Poland: Journalist Andrzej Pochobut released

Andrzej Pochobut

A prisoner swap happened on the border of Belarus and Poland. It followed the "5-for-5" rule. The Belarus state news agency "BelTA" said journalist Andrzej Pochobut was handed over to Poland. He has been in a Belarus prison since 2021.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met Andrzej Pochobut at the border.

The Polish Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski said Andrzej Pochobuts release is a deal for Poland and the United States.

The United States helped with this prisoner swap. A team led by John Cole, who worked with President Donald Trump on Belarus issues helped free two people from Moldova and three Poles, including Andrzej Pochobut. John Cole thanked Poland, Moldova and Romania for their help on media.

Andrzej Pochobut is from Poland. He is part of the Union of Poles which Belarus does not officially recognize. He was arrested in March 2021. In 2023 he was sentenced to 8 years in prison for stirring up ethnic hate and threatening Belarus national security. Poland said these charges were unfair and were meant to silence him.

In October 2025 Andrzej Pochobut and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia won the Andrei Sakharov Prize, for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament.