Polish Senate declined to lift immunity for former human rights ombudsman Adam Bodnar in a case involving judicial appointments.
Senate Decision
Polish Senate voted against lifting Adam Bodnar’s immunity. The rejection came after Senate commission for regulations, ethics and senatorial affairs recommended dismissing the request. Senator Jacek Trela, the commission’s reporter, explained that Mazur’s opinion was part of an official appeal procedure.
Immunity Request Background
The immunity request was filed against Bodnar and Justice Ministry Deputy Dariusz Mazur. Trela clarified that while the letter was written by Mazur, not Bodnar, it concerned proper judicial appointment procedures. He pointed out that when appealing someone’s appointment, arguments must be presented in writing.
Judicial Appointment Dispute
Radwański was appointed as President of the District Court in Brzozów on July 18, 2023, for a four-year term by then-Deputy Justice Minister Katarzyna Frydrych. The removal procedure was initiated by Deputy Minister Mazur on June 19, 2024. According to Trela, Radwański was well aware of the jurisdictional boundaries between ministerial positions.
Reasons for Removal
Among the grounds for removal was Radwański’s signing of a letter of support for Grzegorz Furmankiewicz as a candidate to the National Council of the Judiciary. Mazur argued that this support demonstrated Radwański’s approval of politicizing judicial appointment procedures and contributing to dismantling the constitutional order.
Voting and Formal Removal
On July 1, 2024, a meeting of the District Court College in Krosno voted on Radwański’s removal. The vote resulted in 3 for and 3 against, with the chairman’s deciding vote in favor. On July 4, 2024, Deputy Minister of Justice Dariusz Mazur formally removed Radwański from his position. Radwański raised objections to the voting procedure on July 5, 2024, which Mazur rejected in his July 25, 2024 response.