Defense lawyers file separate motions for Ziobro as prosecutor issues warrant and prepares European Arrest Warrant request.
Defense Legal Moves
One day after the court refused to halt Zbigniew Ziobro’s arrest, the prosecutor issued a wanted notice and began preparing a request for a European Arrest Warrant (EAW). On Monday, Ziobro’s attorney, mecenas Gomoła, announced on X that two separate motions were filed with the Warsaw-Mokotów District Court.
The first motion aims to resolve ambiguities regarding the execution of the arrest order for Ziobro. The second requests the suspension of the arrest’s execution. The defense, citing Article 13 of the Penal Code, also announced it would file an appeal against the arrest decision with the Warsaw Regional Court.
International Protection Claim
Ziobro’s attorneys claim their client enjoys international protection granted by Hungarian authorities. Budapest reportedly recognized that Ziobro faces political persecution in Poland. This argument is expected to be central to assessing the arrest’s enforceability and the potential EAW. The prosecution has not confirmed this protection, and Polish courts have not ruled on the matter, making it a key legal dispute point.
Corruption Case Details
The investigation by the National Prosecutor’s Office concerns abuses related to the Justice Fund during Ziobro’s tenure as Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General. Prosecutors accuse him of leading an organized criminal group and abusing his office for criminal activities, involving 26 alleged crimes including illegal orders to subordinates, interference in tender preparations, and granting funds to ineligible entities.
Key allegations include the illegal transfer of 25 million złoty from the Justice Fund to the Central Anticorruption Bureau for Pegasus spyware and the misuse of 14 million złoty for National Prosecutor’s Office renovations, deemed unlawful by prosecutors.