Journalists Detained Amid Coverage of Student Self-Immolation in Iran
November 12, 2025
Training Prepares Journalists for Crisis Zones
November 12, 2025
November 12, 2025 – Belarus/Poland –
Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut has been awarded the Order of the White Eagle—the highest state honour in Poland—recognising his courageous service amid ongoing persecution. The award was announced on November 11, 2025, Poland’s Independence Day, by President Karol Nawrocki in recognition of Poczobut’s “outstanding services to Poles in Belarus, in particular for the struggle for human rights and unyielding position in opposing the manifestations of resurgent totalitarian regimes.”
Poczobut, a veteran correspondent for Poland’s leading daily Gazeta Wyborcza and the leader of the Polish minority in Belarus, has been detained since March 2021 by Belarusian authorities. In early 2023, he was handed an eight-year prison sentence on charges of “damaging national security” and inciting discord—prosecutions that press-freedom groups regard as politically-motivated punishment for his independent reporting.
The decision by the Polish state to bestow its most prestigious honour upon a journalist imprisoned abroad fulfills several symbolic roles: it demonstrates solidarity with a journalist operating under extreme duress, it reinforces the principle that journalism is a legitimate act of public interest and accountability—even when facing authoritarian repression—and it signals Poland’s continuing support for pluralism and press freedom in the post-Soviet region. By recognising Poczobut’s work “while behind bars,” the state underscores that courage in journalism transcends physical freedom.
Supporters of Poczobut’s case welcomed the award as a meaningful gesture but stressed that it must not remain symbolic alone. They call for immediate diplomatic action to secure his release, improved prison-medical access, and guarantees for safe, independent journalism in Belarus and across the region. The award, they argue, both honours an individual and draws global attention to the broader risks facing journalists in authoritarian environments.
Unless the honour is paired with concrete steps toward Poczobut’s freedom, it risks being seen solely as a ceremonial stand. But at minimum, Poland’s recognition speaks to the enduring principle that journalism is fundamental civic work—and that states, including democracies, must act when that work places individuals at grave risk.
Reference –
https://tvpworld.com/89959316/polands-nawrocki-gives-white-eagle-order-to-jailed-andrzej-poczobut
