Ziobro Extradition Request Sent to the US as New Details Emerge

Polish prosecutors have sent an extradition request for Zbigniew Ziobro from the United States, following the revocation of his refugee status in Hungary over Justice Fund corruption charges.

Extradition Request Sent to the United States

Zbigniew Ziobro is currently in the US. The extradition request was prepared by Investigative Team No. 1 of the National Prosecutor’s Office, which is handling the Justice Fund affair. It was subsequently analyzed by the National Prosecutor’s Office’s Bureau of International Cooperation. The Polish side waited to draft the document until the temporary arrest warrant became legally binding to prevent any grounds for challenging the efforts to extradite Ziobro.

According to RMF FM reports, the document is already being sent to the US via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Wyborcza.pl established that the case will now be reviewed by an American extradition court, before which a representative of the Polish prosecutor’s office and the suspect along with his attorney will appear. During the process, Ziobro may be tried while remaining at liberty or from extradition custody.

European Arrest Warrant and Legal Context

The prosecutor’s office also submitted a request to issue a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for Ziobro, PAP reported. However, the District Court in Warsaw refused to issue it in July of this year. Former National Prosecutor Janusz Kaczmarek recalled in an interview with Wyborcza.pl that according to some lawyers, an EAW would also be necessary for extradition. The lack of an EAW is no obstacle here, especially since it stems solely from the fact that Ziobro is not in the Schengen area, he explained.

Sejm Lifting Immunity and Flight to Hungary

On November 7, 2025, the Sejm lifted Ziobro’s immunity and consented to his detention and arrest in connection with 26 charges concerning the Justice Fund. The National Prosecutor’s Office then issued an order for his detention and forcible bringing by the Internal Security Agency, which proved ineffective due to the former minister’s absence from Poland. Ziobro had traveled to Hungary, where he obtained international protection from Viktor Orban’s government.

Transition in Hungary and US Relocation

Orban lost the elections on May 10, and his successor, Peter Magyar, made it clear that he does not support continuing to help Ziobro. The minister then left for the US. He stated that he did not flee Poland and is using a document granted to him along with the right to asylum that he received in Hungary. Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek had already announced an extradition request at that time, PAP reported.

Revocation of Refugee Status

Ultimately, Hungary revoked the refugee status of Ziobro, his wife Patrycja Kotecka-Ziobro, and former Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Romanowski. Their travel documents were also invalidated.