A Belarusian court on Monday began the trial of Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut for criticism of President Alexander Lukashenko's regime.

Poczobut, a journalist, and activist of the independent Union of Poles of Belarus, has been in pre-trial detention since March 2021.

He is accused of "calling for actions aimed at harming national security" and inciting hatred.

How has Poland reacted?

Poland has demanded Poczobut's release, saying the charges were politically motivated.

Poland's deputy foreign minister Piotr Wawrzyk told Polish radio Poczobut "did not commit any crime and charges against him have nothing to do with reality."

On Monday, the country's charge d'affaires in Minsk, Marcin Wojciechowski, was denied to attend the trial in the district court in Grodno, a spokesman for the Polish foreign ministry said on Twitter.

Poczobut outspoken about Lukashenko's rule

In 2020 Poczobut provided commentary and analysis for several news outlets on the protests against Lukashenko's rule following a contested election.

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Poczobut was also in the dock for statements he made to defend the Polish minority in Belarus and for saying the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 was an aggressive act.

Belarusian opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, wrote on Twitter that his trial was "shameful" and said he was detained because "he dared to tell the truth about the situation in the country."

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Poczobut faces a prison sentence of up to 12 years.

The Viasna rights group says there were more than 1,440 political prisoners in Belarus.

Material from the AFP news agency contributed to this report.

 

Edited by: Amanda Rivkin