The Disciplinary Court of Poland's Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) has lifted the immunity of a judge who has fled to Belarus seeking political asylum, an NSA spokesperson said on Thursday (May 9). The high court has also suspended Judge Tomasz Szmydt in his duties. Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said the waiving of the judge's immunity would serve as a basis for issuing an arrest warrant and an Interpol note after him.
Tomasz Szmydt, a Voivodeship Administrative Court (WSA) in Warsaw judge, on Monday asked Belarusian authorities for political asylum, arguing that he had been forced to flee Poland as he stood in opposition to the current government. He mentioned he had been subjected to persecution and threats for his "independent political standpoint".
The Disciplinary Court of Poland's Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) informed on Thursday it has lifted Judge Szmydt's immunity, thus allowing for his arrest on espionage charges.
Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said on Thursday that the waived immunity of the judge has paved the way for issuing an arrest warrant and an Interpol note after him in order to prevent him from moving to another country.
The National Public Prosecutor's Office (also referred to as state prosecutor's office - edit.) informed on Wednesday an inquiry has been launched into Szmydt's potential involvement in foreign intelligence service operations in Poland and Belarus. The prosecutors stressed that passing information to said intelligence service could have done harm to Poland.
Bodnar also confirmed Judge Szmydt would be investigated on espionage charges. "As far as I know, it is a very intensive inquiry," he added.
Asked how long Szmydt is believed to have worked for a foreign intelligence, Bodnar said that this issue would also be investigated. "I can't say anything more at this stage," the minister said.
Furthermore, Bodnar added, the cases that Szmydt was processing at the WSA included issues such as granting or denying security clearances to classified information.
The justice minister added the prosecutors should also investigate why Poland's special services had done nothing regarding Szmydt's visit to Belarus in 2023. "This kind of a trip to a country with which we have quite unusual relations went unnoticed by the then special services," he said, adding it was yet unknown whether Szmydt had acted alone.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP