EU Demands Immediate Release Of Andżelika Borys, Andrzej Poczobut, All Political Prisoners

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell made a special statement.

The European Union reacted to the arrest of the leaders of the Union of Poles in Belarus Andżelika Borys and Andrzej Poczobut. Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell expects Belarus to uphold its international obligations to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. This is said in his statement.

According to Borrel, the EU is witnessing a further escalation of repression against the Belarusian people, including orchestrated campaigns of persecution of human rights defenders, journalists and civil society in Belarus.

- Recent developments have shown that the latest target of this policy is the Union of Poles in Belarus.

He reminded about the detention of Andżelika Borys and Andrzej Poczobut, who are facing up to several years in prison.

- The European Union expects Belarus to uphold its international commitments to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. We call on Belarus to release Ms Andżelika Borys and Mr Andrzej Poczobut immediately and unconditionally, along with all political prisoners currently detained, - the statement reads.

Important to note, chairperson of the unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus Andżelika Borys was detained and sentenced to 15 days of arrest, and the prosecutor's office opened a criminal case against her. She faces up to 12 years in prison.

Prior to that, on March 10, a similar case was initiated over the event in the Polish social school of scouts named after Romuald Traugutt in Brest.

On Thursday, March 25, searches were carried out in Hrodna in the apartment of Andrzej Poczobut, the journalist and one of the leaders of the Union of Poles of Belarus unrecognized by the authorities, as well as in the editorial offices of the newspaper Głos znad Niemna and the magazine Magazyn Polski, which are published by the organization. After the end of the search, Poczobut was detained.

The Polish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the detention of Andżelika Borys and called for “an end to the persecution of the Polish minority.” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki promised to raise the issue of oppression of the Polish minority in Belarus at the EU summit in Brussels.