Polish embassy thanks John Coale for helping secure Poczobut’s release

Poland’s embassy in Washington has thanked John Coale, a special envoy of US President Donald Trump, for his efforts to secure the release of Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut.

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Poczobut and Coale met in Washington on Wednesday at the US State Department. 

"We are deeply grateful to John Coale for his incredible work to free Belarusian-Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut from wrongful political imprisonment in Belarus,” the embassy posted on X. 

We are deeply grateful to @johnpcoale for his incredible work to free Belarusian-Polish journalist @poczobut from wrongful political imprisonment in Belarus. Today, Andrzej Poczobut had the opportunity to meet with and thank Mr. Coale personally in Washington, D.C. https://t.co/uA58DJg99q

— Embassy of Poland U.S. (@PolishEmbassyUS) September 23, 2026

Poczobut had an opportunity to personally thank Coale. 

His wife, Oksana Poczobut, and Bogdan Klich, chargé d'affaires of the Polish embassy in Washington, were also present. 

Poczobut was released from a Belarusian penal colony in April. He had been serving an eight-year prison sentence since 2023. He was convicted on charges including “inciting hatred” and “calling for actions aimed at harming national security.” 

Human rights organisations recognised him as a political prisoner. 

(sp) 

Source: PAP