A request by Poland’s Sejm investigative committee for the arrest of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro was rejected by the Warsaw District Court. The request was made to ensure his appearance at a hearing.
The hearing, which was held behind closed doors, resulted in the decision being communicated by the committee chair, Magdalena Srok.
“We will appeal. We disagree with this decision,” she stated.
“The court justified its decision by stating that Zbigniew Ziobro’s behavior is unacceptable… However, it did not grant the committee’s request,” Srok added.
Court spokesperson Anna Ptaszek clarified that the committee had the option to question Ziobro but did not hold the hearing on its own initiative. Therefore, the court argued, the committee should not demand such a strict measure.
“Taking this into account, the court concluded that there were no legal grounds to satisfy the committee’s request, but it also highlighted Mr. Ziobro’s attitude, considering it deserving of condemnation,” she explained.
Ziobro, a former Prosecutor General and key figure from the previous government, is currently facing scrutiny over his role in various controversial actions during his tenure. These include the use of Pegasus spyware to monitor opponents and the organization of mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ziobro, along with several other politicians from the ruling PiS party, has refused to testify before the Sejm’s special committee, claiming the committee was established unlawfully.
