The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Wrocław asked the local district court to issue a European Arrest Warrant for former judge Tomasz Sz. This is about Tomasz Szmydt, suspected of committing crimes in the so-called hate scandal. Earlier, a Warsaw court issued a European Arrest Warrant for him, but in a different case regarding espionage charges.
The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Wrocław said in a statement on Tuesday that “the prosecutor submitted to the District Court in Wrocław an application to issue a European Arrest Warrant for a former judge – Tomasz Sz., suspected of committing crimes as part of an organized criminal group, whose members acted to the detriment of judges of common courts.” .
“By requesting the issuance of a decision on the European Arrest Warrant, the prosecutor requested to notify the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Wrocław about the arrest and transfer to the Polish side of the suspect, Tomasz Sz.” – transferred.
The prosecutor's office added that “it cannot be ruled out that Tomasz Sz. will attempt to enter the territory of the European Union, especially since he is a citizen of a Polish member state and still has a valid ID card, which entitles him to travel to all countries belonging to the European Union.” to the Schengen area. It was added that currently there are no grounds to categorically state that the suspect is not staying in the European Union.
Szmydt wanted on an arrest warrant
The prosecutor's office also recalled that Tomasz Szmydt is wanted on an arrest warrant, which the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Wrocław issued on September 9, after the District Court for Wrocław-Śródmieście decided to temporarily arrest Szmydt for 30 days from the time of his arrest.
Hater affair
The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Wrocław is conducting an investigation into the hate scandal at the Ministry of Justice, covering the period until August 20, 2019.
In June 2024, the spokeswoman of this prosecutor's office, Anna Zimoląg, informed that the prosecutors handling this case had brought charges and questioned Szmydt's ex-wife, Emilia Szmydt. – She has already heard the charges and was interrogated – said prosecutor Zimoląg then. The spokeswoman did not provide details about the allegations. She was the first suspect in the investigation into the hate scandal.
In September 2022, in the report “Superwizjer” TVN “Confession of Little Emi. Behind the scenes of the hater scandal”, Emilia Szmydt, called Little Emi, decided to talk on camera about her role in the scandal for the first time.
Investigation into the so-called The hate scandal was initially investigated by the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, later by the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Lublin, and then transferred to the District Prosecutor's Office in Świdnica.
“The preparatory proceedings were initiated by a notification submitted by a member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. The Association of Polish Judges 'Iustitia' also sent a notification about the suspicion of committing crimes by persons belonging to the KASTA group operating on the WhatsApp messenger,” prosecutor Zimoląg previously reported.
In 2019, the media revealed the so-called hater scandal involving, among others, the then deputy minister of justice Łukasz Piebiak, informing that since June 2018 he had coordinated an action aimed at discrediting judges who opposed changes in the justice system implemented by the then minister of justice Zbigniew Ziobro.
A member of the hate group was, among others, Tomasz Szmydt, Piebiak's subordinate at that time, working in the Ministry of Justice.
European Arrest Warrant for Szmydt in espionage case
At the same time, actions are being taken against Tomasz Szmydt in connection with allegations of espionage.
Szmydt asked for asylum at the beginning of May Belarus. He resigned as a judge by correspondence. The National Prosecutor's Office charged him with espionage in absentia she issued an arrest warrant for him. Therefore, the District Court in Warsaw issued a European Arrest Warrant for the former judge.
Main photo source: Rafał Guz/PAP