Pachobut plans to return to Belarus after trip to USA, but doesn't know how authorities will act

Poczobut explained in an interview with TVP that he had previously traveled to Warsaw due to organizational issues related to his trip to the USA. After returning from America, he intends to continue working on his book. According to him, even the longest interview does not allow for recounting all the events of five years of imprisonment, while a book will provide the opportunity to present this story from beginning to end.

The journalist admitted that his idea to return to Belarus did not evoke enthusiasm from his family. However, his close ones eventually accepted his decision. Poczobut noted that no one wants a loved one to be under threat, but hundreds of thousands of Poles and activists of the Union of Poles continue to be in a similar situation in Belarus.

He believes that even the Belarusian authorities do not fully know how they will act, as the situation in the region is changing. It is influenced by the war in Ukraine and negotiations between the administration of US President Donald Trump and Alexander Lukashenka's regime, as a result of which another 25 political prisoners were released on September 16. Poczobut emphasized that there are various signals and versions regarding the further development of events in Belarus.

According to the journalist, the number of political prisoners in Belarus is significantly higher than the 800-900 people who appear on human rights lists. He said that while in the camp, he saw dozens of people about whom there was no information in human rights defenders' lists. Some families feared publicity, believing it could worsen the prisoners' situation or create additional problems for their relatives.

Poczobut positively assessed the release of political prisoners as a result of American efforts but noted that simultaneously with the releases, arrests continue in Belarus. According to him, some people are released while others are imprisoned, maintaining an atmosphere of fear in society. He believes that for diplomats engaging in dialogue with Lukashenka, it is important to seek an improvement in the situation not only regarding the release of individual prisoners but also within Belarus.

The former political prisoner does not rule out the possibility of new imprisonment after returning, as the consequences of his prison experience still remain with him. However, he notes that not everything necessarily has to develop according to a scenario of new repressions.

Poczobut stated that Lukashenka's regime previously demonstrated cyclicality: when the authorities felt threatened, repressions intensified, people were more often sent to prisons, and the West's opinion held no significant importance for them. Now, in his opinion, the economy plays an important role, as Belarusian authorities are interested in economic cooperation with the West.

He also recounted his feelings after his recent entry into Belarus. When he found himself in a room with three officers after crossing the border, it briefly seemed to him that more than 130 days of freedom had been just a dream and he was still in detention. Poczobut emphasized that the internal state of a prisoner, in which he lived for several years, still remains within him.

Separately, Poczobut addressed the issue of holding a congress of the unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus. According to him, the organization was convinced that holding a congress under current conditions was dangerous. At the same time, Belarusian authorities, Poczobut believes, saw that his arrival did not pose a threat to the existing system of power.

He emphasized that the activities of the Union of Poles are not related to political struggle. The organization is involved in preserving Polish identity, learning the Polish language, developing culture, and caring for places of national memory. According to Poczobut, the space of freedom that the Union of Poles has managed to maintain roughly since 2022-2023 remains stable and is not shrinking.

Poles in Belarus perceived his arrival as a positive signal, which could indicate the possibility of improving the situation. Poczobut described the mood of the Polish minority as moderately optimistic. He believes that his arrival would not have happened if Belarusian authorities were preparing drastic actions against the Polish minority.

At the same time, the situation could change under the influence of new factors, among which Poczobut named mobilization in Russia, the possible use of Belarusian territory in the war against Ukraine, or for provocations against neighboring countries. He emphasized that many unknowns remain, but the Polish minority does not ignore positive signals.

Poczobut did not name new dates for the congress of the Union of Poles. Earlier, the head of the UPB, Andżelika Borys, received authorization to negotiate with Belarusian authorities regarding the legalization of the organization, provided Poland participates. On September 8, it became known that Belarusian authorities proposed to legalize the activities of the Union of Poles. However, for this, the current organization may have to be disbanded and a new one created, possibly under a different name. The congress is currently postponed and should take place within six months.

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