Warsaw’s Mokotow Court dismissed applications filed by Zbigniew Ziobro’s defense team on Friday.
Court Dismisses Ziobro’s Defense Motions
On Friday, January 16, journalist Tomasz Skory from RMF FM reported on X that applications to exclude Judge Agnieszka Prokopowicz from the judicial panel were dismissed by the Warsaw-Mokotow Regional Court. The applications were filed by Zbigniew Ziobro’s defense team.
According to Skory’s findings, the decision was made by Judge Łukasz Malinowski, who was randomly assigned to the case.
Defense Attorney Questions Judge’s Impartiality
Ziobro’s defense attorney, mec. Bartosz Lewandowski, commented on the court’s decision in a post on X, asking whether a judge who is a member of the “Iustitia” association can impartially consider an application from another judge belonging to the same organization.
“The question is obviously rhetorical,” he wrote. “I am surprised that the Court considered the application, since at 14:41, an application was filed with the Warsaw-Mokotow Regional Court to exclude Judge Łukasz Malinowski from considering the defense’s application due to his affiliation with the same association, and thus the need to assess his own legal and factual situation,” added Ziobro’s defense attorney.
Ziobro’s Detention Hearing Postponed
On Thursday (January 15), the Warsaw-Mokotow Regional Court postponed Zbigniew Ziobro’s detention hearing until February 5. The court made this decision due to the application to exclude Judge Agnieszka Prokopowicz.
The prosecution had requested the use of detention, which the Sejm had previously approved. Prosecutors want to present Ziobro with 26 charges, including leading an organized criminal group that allegedly embezzled money from the Justice Fund.
Background on Ziobro’s Case
Ziobro had control over these funds as Minister of Justice in the PiS government. Ziobro is currently in Hungary, where he has received political asylum.
