Polish Journalist Jailed Without Trial After Tusk Probe

Leszek Kraskowski, an award-winning independent journalist with over two decades of experience investigating abuse of power and corruption across all Polish governments, was arrested on June 6 on charges of illegally possessing an air pistol and making threats against a police chief.

The journalist had recently been investigating the activities of Roman Giertych, a ruling party member of parliament who also serves as the personal attorney to Prime Minister Tusk’s family.

According to Brussels Signal, Kraskowski was denied his right to legal representation for several days following his arrest. A court in Piaseczno ordered his detention for three months on June 9, just three days after a complaint was filed by a local police department head near Warsaw.

Questionable Legal Proceedings

Prosecutors under the control of Tusk’s centre-left government claim Kraskowski sent threatening emails to a police chief in Piaseczno and posted threatening messages on social media. They have also alleged aggressive behavior toward family members and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the detained journalist.

During a search of his home on Saturday, authorities discovered what they described as a gas pistol. The weapon in question is reportedly a Bruni Mod. P4 9mm P.A.K. alarm pistol, an Italian-made device that can be purchased online for approximately €75 and is not adapted to fire live ammunition, according to findings reported by Niezalezna.

The P4 model uses 9mm P.A.K. blank or gas cartridges designed for alarm pistols and does not constitute a firearm capable of discharging projectiles.

Defense Lawyer Blocked From Client

Kraskowski’s attorney, Łukasz Pawelski, was notified of his client’s arrest mere minutes before the June 9 court hearing and could not arrive in time. The hearing proceeded without defense counsel present.

Prosecutors claim they attempted to contact Pawelski the day before the hearing, but the attorney states he received only one call, which he attempted to return twice without success, and received no text message or email.

As of June 11, Pawelski had still not been permitted to meet with his detained client or receive case documentation. The attorney does not even officially know where Kraskowski is being held.

While Polish law guarantees temporary detainees access to their attorneys, such requests must be approved by prosecutors. In this case, approval has been withheld, creating what Pawelski described as a situation that puts his client’s right to defense in serious doubt.

Allegations Emerged After Arrest

Pawelski has discovered that accusations of alleged aggression against family members surfaced after, not before, Kraskowski’s arrest. The attorney believes these allegations may be connected to acrimonious divorce proceedings in which the journalist is currently involved.

Prosecutors used these allegations of aggression as partial justification for the three-month detention order.

Pawelski also maintains that Kraskowski does not use the email account from which death threats against the police chief were allegedly sent.

Prior Attack Reported

In the months before his arrest, Kraskowski had filed a criminal complaint concerning an incident at his residence in which he alleged being attacked by an unidentified assailant.

The journalist claimed the attacker threatened him with a knife and pepper spray, warning him to leave the country within seven days or face deadly consequences. The assailant allegedly told Kraskowski he had crossed the wrong people and threatened to kill him while claiming any stabbing would be passed off as self-defense.

The timing of Kraskowski’s arrest, just hours after a complaint was filed against him and shortly after his investigations into Giertych’s activities, has raised serious questions about political interference in Poland’s judicial system under the Tusk government.

With information from Brussels Signal