Tusk Prosecutors Seek Arrest of Opposition MEP Over Prison Aide

According to Brussels Signal, prosecutors under the control of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s center-left government claim Patryk Jaki abused his authority during his tenure as deputy justice minister responsible for overseeing the country’s prison service.

The former Law and Justice (PiS) government official now faces accusations that he fast-tracked the promotion of a prison service officer in violation of appointment regulations. Prosecution spokesperson Anna Adamiak stated that investigators have compiled evidence suggesting the promotion occurred while the officer was still facing disciplinary proceedings, resulting in both financial and career advantages for the individual.

Prosecutors allege the position was specifically recreated to provide the officer with elevated pay and a guaranteed path back to the role or an equivalent post following any secondment.

Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek, who also serves as prosecutor general and submitted the immunity waiver request, has not clarified how Jaki could obstruct justice if allowed to remain free while responding to the charges. The request notably includes a demand for pre-trial detention to prevent Jaki from allegedly attempting to interfere with the investigation.

Jaki has firmly rejected the allegations, characterizing the case as political persecution. Writing on social media platform X, the MEP stated that the government’s action represents a mockery of the state designed to persecute political opponents.

The opposition lawmaker argued that if he can face prosecution for approving an officer’s promotion, then any minister could be prosecuted for any appointment decision they make while in office.

Jaki further accused prosecutors of misleading the public regarding the officer’s status, asserting that the individual had been cleared of disciplinary charges and that prosecutors deliberately presented the information in a way that suggested ongoing proceedings.

The European Parliament must now vote on whether to lift Jaki’s immunity before any criminal proceedings can advance. While removal of parliamentary immunity does not indicate guilt, it eliminates procedural safeguards that protect lawmakers from national prosecution and allows domestic courts to proceed with investigations.

The immunity request forms part of a broader campaign by the Tusk government to pursue legal action against numerous figures from the previous PiS administration and other opposition politicians.

In late April 2026, the European Parliament voted to waive immunity for four Polish lawmakers, including Jaki, as well as Daniel Obajtek, a PiS MEP and former head of state-controlled oil company Orlen, along with right-wing MEPs Grzegorz Braun and Tomasz Buczek.

The Parliament had previously stripped former government minister Michał Dworczyk of PiS of immunity to face charges related to alleged illegal use of email accounts that were hacked while containing confidential government documents. Former interior ministers Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik also lost immunity protections and are being prosecuted for allegedly participating illegally in a Polish parliament session after criminal convictions.

The Tusk government has defended the wave of prosecutions by claiming the previous PiS administration undermined judicial independence and weakened democratic institutions during its eight years in power from 2015 to 2023. Current authorities argue the investigations represent necessary efforts to restore rule of law in Poland.

PiS firmly rejects these assertions, countering that the Tusk government is weaponizing the justice system to target political adversaries.

The opposition has accused Tusk’s administration of deploying pre-trial detention as a tool of harassment against former officials while attempting to coerce confessions from civil servants and NGO leaders who collaborated with or worked for the last PiS government.

With information from Brussels Signal