Томаш Шмидт на пресс-конференции в беларусском государственном информагентстве БелТА. Фото: БелТА
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office has suspended the investigation into former judge Tomasz Szmydt, who fled to Belarus, Wirtualna Polska reported.
“The investigation concerning the activities of former judge Tomasz Szmydt was suspended on 7 November 2025 due to the impossibility of carrying out procedural actions with the participation of the suspect, who is located outside the territory of the Republic of Poland,” said Przemysław Nowak, spokesperson for the National Prosecutor’s Office.
Nowak declined to provide further details “in view of the interests of the pre-trial investigation.” During the investigation Poland did not request legal assistance from Belarusian authorities and did not submit an extradition request for Szmydt. Written explanations were not obtained from him, as this is not provided for by the legislation.
“The suspect received political refugee status in the Republic of Belarus. In accordance with international law and the domestic legislation of the Republic of Belarus, granting political asylum excludes the possibility of extraditing a person to the state with respect to which this status was granted,” Nowak explained.
Tomasz Szmydt is a former judge of the Warsaw Voivodeship Administrative Court. In 2024 he received political asylum in Belarus, began making various accusations against the Polish authorities and cooperating with Belarusian propaganda outlets. In Poland he is a suspect in the so-called “hater scandal” and is also suspected of espionage. Two European arrest warrants have been issued against him.