"Poland's former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, wanted on several criminal charges in his home country, has fled Hungary to the United States, he confirmed on Sunday, after being granted asylum from former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban's government last year. I am in the United States, Ziobro told rightwing Polish broadcaster Republika. I arrived yesterday, and this is my third time travelling around the country, he said."
"Ziobro faces up to 25 years in prison in Poland if convicted of the charges laid against him. They include abuse of power, leading an organised criminal enterprise and using funds meant for crime victims to buy Israeli Pegasus spyware, allegedly to monitor political opponents. He has rejected the charges against him, accusing the centrist Polish government of conducting a witch-hunt against conservatives."
"After Orban's party was ousted from power in an election in April, Hungary's new prime minister, Peter Magyar who was sworn in on Saturday said that Hungary would no longer protect people wanted elsewhere. Hungary will no longer be a dumping ground for internationally wanted criminals, he told journalists the day after his victory, naming as examples Ziobro and his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski, suspected of embezzling nearly 40m euros ($47m)."
"It is unclear how Ziobro managed to travel to the US, as Poland had previously said his travel documents including his Polish and diplomatic passports had been revoked. Local news site Onet reported that Ziobro had received a US journalist visa linked to Republika. The broadcaster, aligned with the Polish right, later announced it had hired the ex-justice minister as its political commentator in the US."
Zbigniew Ziobro, a former Polish justice minister wanted on criminal charges, confirmed he is in the United States after arriving there. He said he was granted asylum by Hungary’s government led by Viktor Orban last year. Ziobro faces up to 25 years in prison in Poland if convicted, with allegations including abuse of power, leading an organized criminal enterprise, and using funds meant for crime victims to buy Israeli Pegasus spyware to monitor political opponents. He rejected the charges and accused Poland’s centrist government of a witch-hunt against conservatives. After Orban’s party lost power in April, Hungary’s new prime minister said Hungary would stop protecting internationally wanted criminals, naming Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski. Reports indicated Ziobro’s travel to the US was unclear because Polish travel documents had been revoked, and a US journalist visa linked to Republika was reported.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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