This latest warrant, requested by prosecutors in Wrocław, southwestern Poland, involves his alleged role in what has been called Poland’s "hate scandal," a campaign to discredit certain judges.
The Wrocław Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced the new arrest warrant on Friday, though the decision was made on December 13 by the Warsaw District Court, state news agency PAP reported.
Szmydt is accused of criminal activity as part of an organized group that allegedly targeted judges, particularly those affiliated with the Iustitia Association of Polish Judges.
Prosecutors say he unlawfully accessed and shared personal data of the victims.
The investigation has also led to an arrest warrant for his ex-wife, Emilia, and prosecutors are seeking to lift judicial immunity for four other judges linked to the case: Jakub Iwaniec, Łukasz Piebiak, Przemysław Radzik, and Arkadiusz Cichocki.
'Hate scandal'
The so-called hate scandal erupted in 2019 after reports by the onet.pl news outlet suggested that Judge Piebiak, in his role at the time as a deputy justice minister, coordinated social media attacks against fellow judges critical of the government.
The reports alleged that a closed WhatsApp group, called "Kasta" (Caste), was used to exchange smear tactics.
Following these revelations, Piebiak resigned, and Iwaniec was removed from his ministry delegation.
Judges implicated in the scandal have denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations misleading and manipulated.
Szmydt has been in Belarus since May last year.
In a separate case, Poland’s National Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged him in absentia with espionage, leading to the first European arrest warrant issued against him in June.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP