Andrzej Poczobut Received A Special Award From Gazety Wyborczej

• 30.05.2026, 10:44

"Person of the Year" according to an authoritative Polish publication - Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has won the "Person of the Year" award, which is presented annually by the authoritative Polish publication Gazeta Wyborczaa. The award was presented to her by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The special award of "Gazety Wyborczej" was given to Andrzej Poczobut, a former political prisoner, journalist and leader of the Polish minority in Belarus.

The head of the Danish government emphasized in her speech that "every generation must fight for freedom".

When receiving the award, Poczobut gave a short but extremely powerful speech. "I do not consider myself a hero. (...) But the fact remains that I was not broken. That is why they are so afraid of the Polish spirit over the Niemen," he said from the stage.

His words elicited a prolonged ovation and became one of the most memorable moments of the award ceremony.

The justification for the award recalled that Andrzej Poczobut was a journalist, publicist and activist of the Polish national minority, a political prisoner, and a Knight of the Order of the White Eagle. His long-term imprisonment was one of the most famous examples of persecution of independent journalists and social activists.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by the editor-in-chief of the Charter97.org website Natalya Radina, and coordinators of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Dmitry Bondarenko and Evgeny Afnagel.

Natalya Radina thanked Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for helping Belarusian independent media, and Eugene Afnagel for Poland's participation in the release of Belarusian political prisoners.