Feb 6, 2026, 9:10 p.mFeb 6, 2026, 9:10 p.m
Poland’s General Prosecutor’s Office has issued an arrest warrant against former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro. The top prosecution announced this on Friday evening on the X platform. “The reason for this decision is that the suspect evaded prosecution by fleeing,” the statement said.
The day before, a court had approved the arrest warrant. The parliament in Warsaw had already lifted Ziobro’s immunity as a member of parliament in November. According to information from the public TV broadcaster TVP.Info, an international manhunt for the PiS politician is also being prepared because he is suspected to be in Hungary.
Ziobro faces up to 25 years in prison
Ziobro was Justice Minister in the national conservative government led by the Law and Justice party (PiS) from 2015 to 2023. The public prosecutor’s office and the government under former EU Council President Donald Tusk that emerged from the parliamentary elections in October 2023 accuse him of corruption and abuse of office.
Specifically, it concerns a total of 26 criminal offenses, including the suspicion of founding and membership in a criminal organization and the suspicion of embezzlement of the equivalent of 35 million euros. According to investigators, Ziobro could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. The ex-minister has so far denied the allegations and last year called them “false and made up” and politically motivated.
Speculation about possible asylum in Hungary
According to media reports, Ziobro is currently in Hungary. A year ago he also met Prime Minister Viktor Orban there. Since then, there has been speculation in the media that Ziobro could apply for asylum in Hungary. As early as December 2024, Ziobro’s former deputy Marcin Romanowski, who was also wanted by the public prosecutor’s office, had fled to Hungary and received political asylum there. (sda/dpa)