The occasion coincided with the fourth anniversary of the arrest of Andrzej Poczobut, a prominent Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist imprisoned by the Alexander Lukashenko regime.
Polish deputy FM praises 'determination and sacrifice' of Belarusian opposition
At a concert held on Tuesday at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Anna Radwan-Röhrenschef praised the courage of Belarusian opposition figures, calling their actions "an inspiring example of determination and sacrifice in the fight for a free Belarus."
The concert featured the independent Belarusian choir Spievy and was attended by figures from Polish politics and the Belarusian opposition-in-exile, including opposition leader Pavel Latushka and Polish senator Grzegorz Schetyna.
Freedom Day, observed each year on March 25, marks the anniversary of the 1918 declaration of the Belarusian People’s Republic, a short-lived independent state seen by many in the democratic opposition as a symbol of Belarusian sovereignty.
Although not recognised by the current regime, it has become an important date for activists and exiles resisting Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule.
Radwan-Röhrenschef used the occasion to highlight Poland’s continued support for Belarusian civil society.
She cited government grant programmes, academic assistance for Belarusian students, partnerships with cultural institutions, and especially ongoing support for Belsat TV, an independent, Warsaw-based Belarusian-language broadcaster.
She said Belsat would "remain a platform for Polish-Belarusian cooperation and a source of trustworthy, modern journalism for Belarusian viewers."
She also drew attention to the imprisonment of Poczobut, describing it as a powerful symbol of the price paid by those who fight for freedom.
“We believe the day will come when Andrzej Poczobut will be free,” she said.
Poczobut was arrested on March 25, 2021. The Belarusian authorities accused him of "inciting hatred" and claimed that his writing, which often focused on Polish heritage and identity in Belarus, amounted to "rehabilitating Nazism" – a charge that has been widely condemned as politically motivated.
Amorphous "Neo-Nazis" are a favorite bogeyman of both Lukashenko and Putin, and the slur has been applied by the propaganda apparatus of both regimes to, for instance, proponents of Ukrainian sovereignty.
After a closed trial that began in January 2023, Poczobut was sentenced to eight years in a high-security penal colony in Novopolotsk, one of Belarus' most notorious prisons.
'Our will is stronger than fear'
Speaking at Tuesday’s event, Latushka noted the timing of Poczobut’s arrest.
"This is Lukashenko’s devilish symbolism: exactly four years ago today, Andrzej was thrown behind bars," he said. "He is one of more than 1,200 officially recognised political prisoners in Belarus. The repression continues, right now, even as we speak."
Latushka added that despite the crackdown, the Belarusian people remain undeterred. "Our will is stronger than fear," he declared.
He also criticised what he called a "new Iron Curtain" separating Belarus from the rest of Europe, warning that "Belarus is not North Korea 2.0. Belarus is part of Europe. Its independence should be a shared European priority."
He thanked the Polish government and public for their consistent solidarity, saying: "Your support will forever be part of the history of our democratic movement and of a free, independent Belarus."
Tuesday also saw the inauguration of Lukashenko for another term as president, following elections in January that were widely condemned by the West as fraudulent.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the vote "was neither free nor fair" and denounced the continued repression of political participation and independent media in Belarus.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP