2024-05-08 14:41 update: 2024-05-09, 19:59
Tomasz Szmydt. Photo PAP/Rafał Guz
The National Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation concerning the Polish judge who reportedly sought political asylum in Belarus.
Tomasz Szmydt, a judge at the provincial administrative court (WSA) in Warsaw, gained notoriety in 2019 when, under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, he and his then-wife became involved in an online smear campaign against judges critical of judicial reforms conducted by PiS.
On Monday, he reportedly told journalists in Minsk that he was forced to leave Poland "due to disagreement with the policy and actions of the current authorities."
According to the state-owned Belarusian news agency Belta, he claimed to have been persecuted and harassed due to his independent political views.
Przemyslaw Nowak, the spokesman for the National Prosecutor's Office, told PAP on Wednesday that an organised crime and corruption unit of National Prosecutor's Office's had opened an investigation into the judge's alleged cooperation with the foreign intelligence service.
"The investigation will examine, among other matters, the judge's financial, private and professional situation," Nowak said.
The Prosecutor's Office initiated the security screening in this case immediately following the disclosure of reports concerning the incident.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Administrative Court initiated disciplinary proceedings against the judge. (PAP)
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