Key facts
- Poland has formally requested the extradition of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro from the United States.
- Ziobro faces 26 charges, primarily for alleged misuse of money from a crime victims' fund for political purposes.
- He previously served as Justice Minister during the 2015-2023 rule of the Law and Justice party.
- Ziobro and his deputy, Marcin Romanowski, had been granted asylum in Hungary by the previous government.
- Ziobro reportedly fled to the U.S. on May 9, the same day Hungary's new Prime Minister took office.
Poland has formally requested the extradition of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro from the United States, prosecutors announced on Monday. Ziobro faces 26 charges, predominantly concerning the alleged misuse of funds from a crime victims' fund for political objectives during his tenure as Justice Minister from 2015 to 2023.
Ziobro, a key figure in judicial system changes criticized by the European Union for undermining the rule of law, has denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the accusations as a politically motivated campaign by Poland's current pro-EU government.
The request for Ziobro's pre-trial detention and extradition was transmitted through diplomatic channels. He and his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski, had previously been granted asylum in Hungary by the outgoing nationalist government. Ziobro reportedly fled to the U.S. on May 9, the day Hungary's new Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who had pledged to revoke their refugee status, was sworn into office. The whereabouts of Romanowski are currently unknown. Reuters has reported that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had instructed senior State Department officials to facilitate and approve a visa for Ziobro.