You are here
Home > News > Belarus: Lukashenka takes credit for release of Polish minority leader

Belarus: Lukashenka takes credit for release of Polish minority leader

Aleksander Lukashenka, the Belarusian strongman, has claimed that it was thanks to his decision that a Polish minority leader was released in March after a year spent in prison and moved to house arrest.

Andżelika Borys, head of the Union of Poles in Belarus, was detained in the western city of Grodno on March 23, 2021, initially for organising a cultural event deemed “illegal” by the Minsk authorities but was later charged with inciting national and religious hatred and sowing discord on the grounds of national, religious and linguistic affiliation.

The prosecutor accused her of promoting Nazism, a crime which carries a penalty of up to 12 years in prison.

Mr Lukashenka said he had “personally decided” to let Ms Borys out in March after her mother pleaded for her release. The Belarusian dictator said the release was “a sign of his good will.”

Andżelika Borys has been under house arrest since March.

The Belarusian regime has detained hundreds of protesters, oppositionists, independent journalists and minority leaders, including Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish minority activist who is still in prison.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top