Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus

05/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/20/2026 12:16

Statement by Belarus MFA regarding wounding of Belarusian citizen in Poland

Statement by Belarus MFA regarding wounding of Belarusian citizen in Poland

20 May 2026

On 12 May 2026, a Belarusian citizen sustained a gunshot wound in Poland.

According to received information, Polish law enforcement officers mistook a group of Belarusians for members of a criminal group, which led to the use of weapons.

This incident raises serious doubts about the actual level of security declared by the Polish side. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that citizens of Belarus take such risks into account when planning travel abroad: as practice shows, it cannot be ruled out that a law-abiding citizen could be mistaken for an offender and subjected to a disproportionate use of force.

At the same time, we welcome the initiation of investigative actions by the Prosecutor's Office of Poland and the classification of the incident as an abuse of official authority. We expect an objective investigation, the identification of those responsible and their being brought to justice.

print version

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus published this content on May 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 20, 2026 at 18:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]