The Warsaw District Court issued the ruling on Wednesday after a lengthy hearing on appeals filed by Ziobro’s lawyers.
The former minister, a senior figure in the conservative opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, is under investigation over alleged irregularities in the Justice Fund, while he was in office. The state fund was originally designed to help crime victims and people leaving prison.
Judge Anna Ptaszek, a criminal affairs spokeswoman for the court, said the defense had filed "very extensive and very detailed" appeals. She said they largely challenged the assessment of evidence.
The court found that some allegations against Ziobro had not been sufficiently substantiated. But Ptaszek said those were "lesser charges."
"At the same time, the court found that the most important allegations, concerning the most serious crimes, where there was major damage to the State Treasury, were substantiated," she said.
Ptaszek added that the court found all legal grounds for pre-trial detention had been met. These included the risk of obstruction of justice, the possibility of a severe sentence, and concerns that Ziobro could flee or hide.
She told reporters that the court was not ruling on Ziobro's guilt or innocence at this stage.
The court postponed issuing its written reasons for seven days.
The ruling came after Ziobro fled to the United States.
Prosecutor Piotr Woźniak, who is leading the Justice Fund investigation, said an extradition request would be prepared "immediately."
"I will have to consider whether the oral reasoning is sufficient, or whether I should wait for the written reasons," Woźniak said.
Prosecutor Piotr Woźniak. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka
'These charges are politically motivated'
Ziobro's lawyer, Bartosz Lewandowski, criticized the court's decision. "These charges are politically motivated," he said.
He added that the court had found eight of the charges insufficiently substantiated.
Bartosz Lewandowski, defence lawyer for former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who is being sought by prosecutors in an investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds during his time in office. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Prosecutors allege that Ziobro committed 26 crimes, including directing an organized criminal group and abusing his office. They say he instructed subordinates to break the law so that selected organizations could receive grants from the Justice Fund.
They also allege that he interfered in grant applications and allowed money to be awarded to entities that were not entitled to receive it.
The case is one of the most prominent investigations into the use of public funds during the previous right-wing government, which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023. Ziobro served as justice minister during that period and was one of the government’s most powerful figures.
The Warsaw-Mokotów District Court first ordered Ziobro’s pre-trial detention on February 5. Ziobro was then in Hungary, where he had received international protection from Viktor Orbán’s government.
On May 10, after Orbán lost elections, Ziobro said he was in the United States. He said he had not fled Poland and was using a document issued to him together with asylum rights granted in Hungary.
The case has also involved a parallel legal battle over a European Arrest Warrant. Prosecutors say such a warrant would be needed to detain Ziobro if he returns to the European Union.
The defense had asked for the European Arrest Warrant proceedings to be suspended until the detention order became final. The Warsaw District Court rejected that request in March.
An appeal remains pending before the Warsaw Court of Appeals.
(rt/gs)
Sources: IAR, PAP