2024-07-16 16:04 update: 2024-07-16, 16:07
Dariusz Korneluk. Photo PAP/Leszek Szymański
MP Marcin R. a deputy justice minister in the former Law and Justice (PiS) government, may face pre-trial detention after he was arrested on Monday and charged with 11 crimes, including misuse of public funds.
Poland's state prosecutor, Dariusz Korneluk, told the private broadcaster Polsat News on Tuesday that Marcin R. (surname withheld under Polish law) could be kept in detention pending his trial.
"Prosecutors have notified me that, today, they will be filing a motion for the application of a preventive measure in the form of pre-trial detention of the MP for three months," Korneluk said.
Prosecutors believe there are grounds for the application of the preventive measure "due to the very severe penalty for the crimes," up to 15 years in prison, and a risk the MP may be attempting to obstruct justice, Korneluk added.
On Monday, Marcin R. was arrested by the Internal Security Agency after parliament lifted his immunity and agreed to pre-trial detention on Friday.
Marcin R. is accused of 11 crimes, including granting unlawful subsidies from the justice ministry's Justice Fund, a special reserve originally designed to help victims of crime which, according to prosecution, was used to finance party interests by politicians from PiS's junior coalition partner, Sovereign Poland. According to the charges, the money was used for various unrelated purchases that were meant to increase support for Sovereign Poland politicians in their respective constituencies.
Later on Tuesday, R.'s lawyer, Bartosz Lewandowski, said that his client's detention had been unlawful as he was protected by immunity as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
"I can announce that today there will be letters sent to the key bodies of the Council of Europe, complaints related to the procedures and conduct, today and yesterday, against MP Marcin R.," Lewandowski said.
"We'll be asking for confirmation of his immunity and for action on the part of the Council of Europe," he added.
But Korneluk commented on Tuesday that "we're convinced that the MP is not protected by this immunity."
Korneluk's spokesperson, Przemyslaw Nowak, said in a statement sent to PAP on Tuesday that "the PACE immunity did not exclude the possibility to detain and press charges against MP Marcin R." (PAP)
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