Polish prosecutors have filed 26 criminal charges against former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, as revealed in a request for immunity that outlines alleged abuses of the Justice Fund.
Immunity Request and 26 Charges
Prosecutors have submitted an immunity request for Ziobro, citing findings from Investigation Team No. 2 on irregular spending from the Justice Fund. The inquiry accuses him of 26 separate offenses; eleven witnesses, including justice‑sector officials and Ziobro’s associates, have already testified. Under Polish law, criminal liability for a member of parliament requires approval from the Sejm, after which formal charges may be filed.
Detailed Accusations
The prosecutors detail violations ranging from illegal procurement of the Pegasus surveillance system, which cost 25 million zloty, to alleged orchestration of a criminal organization and failures to supervise disbursement and accounting of Justice Fund money. They also accuse Ziobro of acting against public interest, damaging public funds of about 37 million zloty, and attempting further damage of roughly 11.5 million zloty.
Other claims include neglecting obligations related to funds given to the Profeto Foundation of Father Michał Olszewski, which allegedly caused a property loss of around 66 million zloty; improper issuance of 14 million zloty for the National Prosecutor’s Office headquarters renovation; and irregular transfers to entities linked to his former associate Dariusz Matecki, such as the Fidei Defensor Association and the Association of Friends of Media.
Additional accusations involve the alleged embezzlement of movable property: a 300 thousand‑zloty transfer to the Center for Assistance to Victims and Crime Prevention Foundation linked to former journalist Grzegorz Pawelczyk, the purchase and conversion of a camper into a mobile broadcast studio for Pawelczyk, and the concealment of documents and failure to provide official copies required by law.
Potential Detention
In the request, prosecutors seek permission to detain and temporarily imprison the former justice minister, arguing that he could obstruct effective judicial proceedings if left at liberty. The authorities fear that, similar to the Pegasus case, Ziobro may avoid court appearances and engage in “persistence” tactics, thereby hindering investigations. If detained, he could face up to 25 years of imprisonment.
