Defected judge to sue Polish FM Sikorski

June 5, Pozirk. Ex-Judge Tomasz Szmydt, who defected from Poland to Belarus in early May, wants to sue Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Belarusian state-run media reported.
Szmydt accused the Polish top diplomat of defaming him by “repeatedly calling him a traitor.”
“I am not a traitor, there is no such article and I have never been convicted of treason,” he said during a visit to the Museum of Polish-Soviet Comradeship in Arms in Lenina, Horki district, Mahiloŭ region.
“A minister has no right to make such statements without a trial,” he added.
He said he will send his lawsuit to the Polish Prosecutor General by regular mail and email.
Earlier, Szmydt claimed that he “was persecuted and threatened for his independent political position” in Poland and was forced to flee because of disagreement with the government’s policy.
The Polish Supreme Administrative Court dismissed Szmydt after his defection, sanctioning his arrest and prosecution for alleged spying.
The Warsaw District Court ruled to arrest Szmydt for three months without the defendant being present.
In the most recent development, Interpol refused to issue a red notice for the ex-judge, noting that national security threats, including espionage, are not covered by its area of responsibility.
Interpol refuses to issue red notice for defected Polish ex-judge Szmydt
- PoliticsInformation ministry adds Euronews, EUvsDisinfo to list of “extremist content”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ motor fuel exports to Russia hit new record high in July, Reuters saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus brands Euronews website “extremist”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyProminent architect unexpectedly released four months after arrestThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security, SocietyLithuania finds third tunnel at Belarusian border in two weeksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPoland reiterates Belarus travel warning, flags risks for dual citizensThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPolish security official defends dialogue with MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, Security
- SocietyFormer oil refinery engineer sentenced to 13 years for corruptionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyBelarus’ gold and foreign exchange reserves up 0.3 percent in JulyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus to subsidize food export logistics costs to Asia, Africa, Latin AmericaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsNew conviction, “extremist” designations, other instances of political purges reported in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyLatvia reopens border with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyNew car sales surge amid cheap loansThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsAt least 2,053 NGOs dissolved in Belarus since August 2020 – LawtrendThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SecurityNew tech academy could build ultimate anti-drone weapon, Łukašenka saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsLatvia expands ban on imports from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+


