Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Andrzej Poczobut has returned to Belarus. I think everyone who knows his story understands how much courage lies behind this decision.
Sometimes, even under a dictatorship, a person can carve out a small space of freedom for themselves — through their own resilience and international support. I am delighted that Andrzej is now in Belarus and can be at home.
But it is important not to conclude from this that anything has changed for everyone in the country. Repression continues: people are being detained, criminal cases are being opened against them, relatives are being pressured, and people are being summoned by the KGB. For those at risk of persecution, returning can still be dangerous.
Andrzej’s story is truly special. People like him inspire us with their resilience and heroism. And today, the most important thing is that he is safe. I hope that he will be able to leave just as freely”.
