“The Belarusian regime has an unlimited supply of hostages for exchange”

Pavel Havliczek, an analyst of the Czech Association of International Affairs (AMO), told PAP after Andrzej Poczobut was released from the penal colony that the Belarusian regime releases some prisoners, but arrests other human rights activists. – This way he has an unlimited supply of prisoners for exchange – he said.

In his opinion, Andrzej Poczobut's name was missing from the list of previously released political prisoners. – It is clear that Polish diplomacy was very keen to see him released, but I can imagine that his release is indeed the result of some coordinated efforts, not only on the Polish side, but of course also on the part of the United States, he said.

According to a Czech analyst, the United States is involved in humanitarian issues and an exchange of political prisoners is taking place in Belarus in exchange for certain economic concessions.

– I think that what has been happening for, say, a year, a year and a half is bringing concrete results and these essentially “big” names have been released – he emphasized and added that the Belarusian side wants to abolish or ease sanctions against industrial enterprises, even those dealing with military technology.

– In fact, the Belarusian economy, in the years of weakening of the Russian economy, has serious problems. This suggests that the regime will want to continue this, Havliczek said, noting that Lukashenko still has political prisoners “for exchange.”

According to an analyst from the Association of International Affairs, Belarusian human rights organizations report that there are over 1,300 political prisoners in prison. – We should not give up on them and focus only on people from the highest levels. The problem is much deeper and results from the authoritarian nature of the regime that still rules in Minsk, Havliczek emphasized.

The analyst noted that the regime strengthens its own legitimacy in this way. – Let's be honest, such actions favor Lukashenko – he said.

Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and activist of the Polish minority in Belarus, was released from prison on Tuesday after five years as part of a broader prisoner exchange. Next to him, the clergyman Grzegorz Gawł was handed over to Poland. The third person transferred to the Polish side is a citizen of Belarus who cooperated with the Polish services.

From Prague Piotr Górecki (PAP)

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