{"id":84052,"date":"2024-05-07T15:27:33","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T12:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84052\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"tusk-accuses-belarus-secret-service-of-recruiting-defected-judge","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84052\/","title":{"rendered":"Tusk accuses Belarus\u2019 secret service of recruiting defected judge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (BelTA)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

May 7,\u00a0Pozirk<\/em><\/strong>. Belarusian secret services worked much longer than \u201ca few months\u201d to recruit Tomasz Szmydt, the Polish judge who fled to Belarus last week, Onet.pl <\/em>reported citing Prime Minister Donald Tusk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The judge was of interest to spy agencies because he had access to the justice minister and \u201cinformation that not a single secret service can access,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prime minister urged the public to be aware of \u201cthe tension, created by the presence of foreign services in connection with the war\u201d and \u201cnot to have illusions about the nature of actions by some people seeking to destroy the Polish justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Szmydt has submitted an unofficial asylum request in Belarus, says a Russian-language Telegram channel created four days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Szmydt said he was forced to leave Poland because of disagreement with the government\u2019s policy. He claimed that he \u201cwas persecuted and threatened for his independent political position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pole asked Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka for protection and announced his resignation at a press conference hosted by\u00a0BelTA<\/em>, a state-run news agency in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, Szmydt and his wife were reportedly involved in a smear campaign targeting judges who opposed judicial reforms by the Law and Justice (PiS) government that was in power in Poland at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polish Foreign Minister Rados\u0142aw Sikorski told tvn24.pl that he was \u201cshocked\u201d by Szmydt\u2019s defection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, Emil Czeczko, a Polish soldier fled to Belarus amid the migrant crisis. In televised interviews, he accused Polish border guards of committing atrocities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, Czeczko was found hanged at a Minsk apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relations between Belarus and Poland are currently at a low point with tension persisting over the political persecution of ethnic Poles in Belarus, Minsk\u2019s alleged role in facilitating illegal migration from Asia and Africa into Poland, \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s anti-Polish rhetoric and support for the Russian war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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