Poland's ex-justice minister Ziobro flees to US on journalist visa, faces 26 criminal charges

Background of Charges

Ziobro is wanted in Poland over allegations of misusing public funds and deploying Pegasus spyware against political opponents. He has consistently denied the charges, characterizing the investigation as a political vendetta led by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Arrival in the United States

Ziobro arrived in the U.S. earlier this month to work for right-wing Polish broadcaster TV Republika.

According to a Reuters report on Monday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau directed senior State Department officials to expedite a U.S. visa for Ziobro. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump maintains close ties with Poland's Law and Justice party.

Polish Government Response

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski stated that he has expressed Warsaw's "displeasure" over Ziobro's presence in the U.S. to American authorities.

Ziobro has called the criminal charges against him "fabricated" and said he would fight extradition before a U.S. court rather than return to Poland.

When asked whether Poland would seek extradition, Sikorski noted that while that is a separate process, Warsaw has an extradition treaty with Washington. "The first thing is, of course, whether he's a journalist, whether he's entitled to that visa," the foreign minister said, noting that Ziobro faces 26 criminal charges in Poland.

Political Activity from Abroad

Ziobro remains actively engaged in Polish political debate from his U.S. refuge, frequently posting critical comments on X about the actions of Tusk's government.

"His job is to be in parliament and voting, and he has now, in our view, gained a journalistic visa under false pretenses," Sikorski said. "He's not a journalist, and he's already misusing the journalistic visa, because he's openly saying in social media that he's going to be touring the United States, organizing Polish communities. That's not a journalistic assignment."