Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) said it had detained a 19-year-old Belarusian citizen and a 44-year-old Polish citizen who had allegedly been working on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.
According to ABW, they carried out assignments for a foreign intelligence agency in exchange for payment.
“Their activities included photographing and filming events organized by the Belarusian minority in Warsaw. These materials were subsequently used in the propaganda activities of the Belarusian regime.
This is another episode in a case demonstrating how foreign intelligence services seek to exploit even lawful social and civic events to advance their own interests. The purpose of such activities is not only to gather information but also to exert pressure, intimidate émigré groups, and reinforce the propaganda messaging of countries hostile to Poland,” the agency said.
A court ordered the Belarusian citizen to be held in pretrial detention for three months. The Polish citizen was placed under non-custodial preventive measures, including a travel ban, suspension of his passport, and police supervision.
ABW said the detentions resulted from an ongoing investigation under which two Ukrainian citizens and three Belarusian citizens had already been detained in November last year. The investigation is continuing, and ABW said further arrests are possible.