Polish court dismisses judge suspected of espionage for Minsk

May 10, Pozirk. The head of the Polish Supreme Administrative Court accepted the resignation of Judge Tomasz Szmydt on May 9, three days after he defected to Belarus, Sylwester Marciniak, communications officer at the court, said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Polish prosecutors launched an investigation on suspicion of Szmydt’s involvement in foreign intelligence activities, stripping the judge of immunity.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Belarusian secret services worked with Szmidt much longer than “a few months.”
Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said the ex-judge may be put on an international wanted list.
Szmydt submitted an unofficial asylum request in Belarus on May 6, saying he was forced to leave Poland because of disagreement with the government’s policy. He claimed that he “was persecuted and threatened for his independent political position.”
The Pole asked Alaksandar Łukašenka for protection and announced his resignation at a press conference hosted by BelTA, a state-run news agency in Minsk.
The Belarusian ruler said on May 9 that he would provide security for Szmydt, describing him as “a normal, patriotic Pole.” He dismissed the spying allegations as nonsense.
Relations between Belarus and Poland are currently at a low point with tension persisting over the political persecution of ethnic Poles in Belarus, Minsk’s alleged role in facilitating illegal migration from Asia and Africa into Poland and Łukašenka’s anti-Polish rhetoric and support for the Russian war against Ukraine.
Łukašenka claims Polish defector Czeczko was murdered in 2022
- Security, SocietyChild wounded in drone attack leaves intensive careThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyMotor fuel prices to rise slightly after being unchanged for 11 monthsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEleven more political prisoners identifiedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyUzbek president to visit Minsk in early JulyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, Security
- Economy
- Politics, Security, SocietyRussian investigators blame Ukrainian military for drone attack on Belarusian busThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka announces meeting with Putin, long business trip to undisclosed locationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityEnvoy on Zelensky’s ultimatum: Ukraine can no longer ignore BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Society
- Politics, SecurityCoordination Council urges Belarusians to avoid travel to RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLithuania reports spike in irregular crossings via Belarus on June 22The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals target audiences of independent media outletsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFormer Polish President Duda promises continued support for BelarusiansThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUN Human Rights Council to debate Belarus report next MondayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB adds 21 to list of “terrorists”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus should not be forgotten, PACE president saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityKyiv entitled to self-defense, EU says on Zelensky’s ultimatum to LukašenkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyCichanoŭskaja in Krakow calls for more support for Belarusian studentsThe material is available only to POZIRK+



