Pegasus committee schedules Zbigniew Ziobro hearing for January 31

The Sejm approved on Thursday (December 5) the detention and compulsory escort of Zbigniew Ziobro to the committee session. During a Friday briefing, Magdalena Sroka (PSL-Third Way) revealed that the committee had submitted a request to the Warsaw District Court to enforce this decision.

"The court will now determine whether Ziobro will be detained and brought before the committee," she stated.

Sroka emphasized the importance of questioning Ziobro, describing him as the official responsible for authorizing funds for the purchase of Pegasus and overseeing cases where the system was used. "We are waiting for his testimony, and there are numerous questions to ask him," she noted.

Tomasz Trela from the Left urged Ziobro to cooperate voluntarily to avoid being forcibly brought to the hearing. "You still have time to appear on your own," he said. Trela suggested that Ziobro propose a date for his testimony to avoid the need for police or parliamentary guards to escort him to the session.

The committee’s investigation focuses on the use of Pegasus in Poland, including allegations of its use for political purposes during Ziobro's tenure. The inquiry aims to establish accountability and uncover the scope of surveillance activities.

Trela noted that given Zbigniew Ziobro's status as a key witness, his testimony might extend beyond a single day. "There are numerous questions and a substantial amount of material concerning Mr. Ziobro," he remarked.

Meanwhile, the former justice minister assured on Thursday in the Sejm that he was "keenly interested" in appearing before the committee. However, Ziobro referred to a Constitutional Tribunal ruling from September 10, which declared the scope of the committee's activities unconstitutional.

He also highlighted the Sejm’s March 6 resolution addressing the consequences of the 2015-2023 constitutional crisis, which has effectively halted the publication of Tribunal judgments in the Journal of Laws.

Marcin Bosacki (Civic Coalition, KO) announced that the committee had decided to summon Bogdan Święczkowski, a former National Prosecutor and current Constitutional Tribunal judge.

Bosacki emphasized the significance of Święczkowski’s role in the adoption of the Pegasus system by Polish authorities and raised concerns about its legality. "Mr. Święczkowski played a substantial role in the process of introducing Pegasus into Polish security services. We have many questions for him about why he pushed for its implementation," Bosacki explained.

The committee aims to scrutinize Święczkowski’s involvement in the broader context of surveillance practices and the legal frameworks underpinning them.

Bosacki clarified that no date had yet been set for the questioning of Święczkowski.

Earlier this week, former Internal Security Agency (ABW) head Piotr Pogonowski was brought before the committee on Monday after being detained by police officers that morning. Upon his arrival at the Sejm, Pogonowski was handed over to the Marshal’s Guard, which escorted him to the committee session.

The investigative committee on Pegasus is tasked with examining the legality, propriety, and objectives behind the use of this spyware by the government, special services, and police from November 2015 to November 2023. It also aims to identify those responsible for procuring Pegasus and similar tools for Polish authorities.