Poczobut, who spent five years in a Belarusian penal colony for opposition activity, was released on Tuesday as part of a "five-for-five" exchange at the Białowieża-Piererow border crossing, in which Minsk freed three Polish and two Moldovan citizens.
Doctors assessed his condition as better than he himself had initially expected, Poczobut said in a short video published on Wednesday on the social media channels of Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza.
From his hospital bed, Poczobut called European Parliament members from Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party to express his gratitude.
MEP Małgorzata Gosiewska told Poland's PAP news agency he told her he had remained unbowed.
"He said he was steadfast and fought so that we would not have to be ashamed of Poles in Belarus. He wanted to show that Poles in Belarus are worthy of attention and do not bring shame to Poland," Gosiewska relayed.
Poczobut also expressed his readiness to travel to Strasbourg for a European Parliament session, though Gosiewska cautioned that "after five years of dramatic torment and inhuman conditions, Andrzej certainly requires longer treatment."
Gosiewska said she was concerned by Poczobut's expressed desire to return to Belarus, warning that doing so would put his life at risk.
"We know Andrzej well enough to know he won't stop his activities—he's not someone who would go back just to live quietly," she said, adding that a return would likely mean re-imprisonment.
Gosiewska credited Polish President Karol Nawrocki with playing a major role in securing Poczobut's release while thanking all parties involved, including the government.
She argued, however, that his release should not lead to any normalization of relations with Minsk.
"Lukashenko releases political prisoners on one hand, but imprisons just as many on the other. Nothing has changed," she said.
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Source: Polish Radio, PAP