Polish Judge Defects To Belarus, Foreign Agencies Possibly Involved
Tomasz Szmydt, a judge of the Voyevoidship Administrative Court in Warsaw has defected to Belarus over supposed “discrimination of his beliefs” and “pushing Poland to war with Russia and Belarus by the collective West”. Previously a soldier of the Polish Armed Forces, Emil Czeczko, also defected to Belarus.
Tomasz Szmydt worked as a judge since 2012. He worked in regional and circuit courts before being moved to the Administrative Court in Warsaw. Although his career may not seem spectacular, Szmydt gained access to sensitive state and NATO documents. Namely, he oversaw cases of government workers being denied security clearance and access to such information, as it fell under the competence of the administrative court.
Szmydt left Poland last weekend, according to Onet the judge was already under a months-long observation by the Internal Security Agency (ABW). It is reported that the ABW were aware of his activities and possible connections with either the Belarussian KGB or the Russian FSB. It is unknown why the ABW allowed Szmydt leave Poland. As a result Prime Minister Donald Tusk called meetings with Poland’s secret services after the defection.
The extent of damage caused by Szmydt is unknown. The prosecutor’s office has opened a case against Szmydt and is preparing an indictment based on alleged betrayal of the state and spying for foreign states. The real motives of the judge’s escape to the East remain unknown.
Additionally, in another security breach, Polish security services reportedly discovered several bugging devices from a room in the Prime Minister’s offices where cabinet ministers were due to meet. The devices were found during a routine sweep and were removed. Security services spokesman Jacek Dobrzynski posted on social media saying that “the State Protection Service, in co-operation with the Internal Security Agency, detected and dismantled devices that could be used for eavesdropping. The services are carrying out further activities in this matter.”