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Poland: Investigation launched into Supreme Court's First President Kapiński
🇵🇱 Poland /Crime & Justice

Poland: Investigation launched into Supreme Court's First President Kapiński

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • Poland's Prosecutor General's Office has launched an investigation into the First President of the Supreme Court, Zbigniew Kapiński.
  • The probe concerns alleged actions taken without legal basis that prejudiced parties and the public interest in the justice system.
  • Kapiński described the investigation as a "coordinated political action" and stated he would let the procedures unfold.

Poland's Prosecutor General's Office has initiated an investigation into Zbigniew Kapiński, the First President of the Supreme Court. The probe centers on suspicions that Kapiński, between May 2024 and May 2026, acted against the private interests of parties and the public interest in the justice system. Prosecutors allege he issued orders without legal basis, violating procedural rules and preventing parties from initiating procedures related to the exclusion of judges.

I treat it as a coordinated political action.

— Zbigniew KapińskiKapiński's reaction to the investigation launched by the Prosecutor's Office.

According to the prosecution, these orders aimed to prevent the consideration of motions to disqualify judges, thereby infringing upon the right to an independent and impartial court. The investigation was prompted by a notification filed by Supreme Court judges on May 28, who indicated that the issued orders and subsequent decisions made them unable to process requests for judge recusal.

For me, this is a political attack on the First President of the Supreme Court.

— Zbigniew KapińskiKapiński's assessment of the motives behind the investigation.

Kapiński, who also served as the president of the Supreme Court's Criminal Chamber from 2023 to 2026, has publicly denounced the investigation. He characterized it as a "coordinated political action" and a "political attack" on his position. He stated his intention to allow the legal processes to proceed, including the actions of the prosecutor's office and the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, which had previously initiated disciplinary proceedings against him.

Let the proceedings continue according to the procedure. Let the prosecution do its job. Now let the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court do its job.

— Zbigniew KapińskiKapiński's statement on allowing the legal processes to unfold.

The investigation team, established by Prosecutor General and Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek, specifically examines the negative consequences of rulings made by judges appointed with the involvement of the National Council of the Judiciary after 2017. The team has gathered documentation, including orders issued by the head of the Supreme Court's Criminal Chamber and decisions made in cases concerning requests for judge recusal.

The proceedings concern suspicion of acting to the detriment of the private interest of the parties and the public interest in the proper functioning of the judiciary and the judiciary.

— Anna AdamiakProsecutor General's Office spokesperson Anna Adamiak explaining the basis of the investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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