The recent prisoner exchange between Russia and the West in Ankara marked the largest since the Cold War, with 24 prisoners released. However, journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut from the Polish ethnic minority community in Belarus was not included. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski assured that efforts to free Poczobut and other political prisoners in Belarus are ongoing. Poczobut was detained in March 2021 for supporting Polish minorities in Belarus and criticizing government actions. He was convicted in a politically motivated case in February 2021.
Poczobut faced previous charges in 2012 for libel against the president, drawing criticism from international human rights organizations. Belarus still detains 1390 political prisoners, while the late Russian oppositionist Alexei Navalny was among those held by Russia. The prisoner exchange initially included talks about releasing Navalny. The ongoing fight for independent journalism and political freedom in Ukraine and surrounding regions remains a critical issue. For more information, visit the original article at tvpworld.com.\
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