Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek Withdraws Appeal in Piotr Zelt Case

Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek personally ordered the National Prosecutor's Office to withdraw an appeal against the acquittal of actor Piotr Zelt. The case concerns charges of insult and defamation against the former press spokesperson of the Border Guard, Captain Anna Michalska. Information about the minister's direct intervention was revealed by Law and Justice MP Paweł Jabłoński. The Ministry of Justice officially confirmed its response to his four-month-old parliamentary inquiry. The charges against Piotr Zelt stem from his statements in 2021. The actor publicly called Capt. Michalska the "face of the brutal, thuggish standards of the PiS state," which the prosecutor's office considered an insult to a public official. The court of first instance acquitted Zelt, ruling that his words were criticism of the government's migration policy, not a personal insult. The prosecutor's office filed an appeal but later withdrew it on the explicit order of Minister Żurek. „To jest zdrada. Żurek osobiście wydał polecenie, żeby wycofać apelację i tym samym stanąć po stronie oszczerców, którzy atakowali kapitana Annę Michalską.” (This is treason. Żurek personally issued the order to withdraw the appeal and thus side with the slanderers who attacked Captain Anna Michalska.) — Paweł Jabłoński This decision ultimately ended the criminal proceedings in favor of the celebrity. The institution of the Prosecutor General, which is held ex officio by the Minister of Justice, has been controversial since the political transformation. Combining a political function with oversight of criminal prosecution raises concerns about the independence of the prosecutor's office. Disputes over justice system reform were one of the key points of conflict between the post-Solidarity and post-communist camps as early as the 1990s. The case of Capt. Anna Michalska has had strong political overtones from the beginning. It concerned the assessment of the Border Guard's actions during the so-called migration crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border in 2021-2022. The actions of the services, involving pushing back migrants and preventing them from applying for international protection, were then the subject of sharp disputes. The opposition and non-governmental organizations accused Poland of human rights violations, while the PiS government argued it was necessary to protect the borders of the European Union. Key Stages of Proceedings Against Piotr Zelt: Preparatory Proceedings: The prosecutor's office charged Zelt with insulting a public official → -; First Instance Verdict: The District Court acquitted the actor → -; Prosecutor's Appeal: The National Prosecutor's Office filed an appeal → Withdrawn on the order of Minister Żurek; Legal Status of the Case: Ongoing (after appeal) → Finally concluded in Zelt's favor The current decision by Minister Żurek fits into the broader context of the new ruling coalition's relations with institutions and events from the previous government's time. It may be perceived as an element of criminal policy involving extinguishing or mitigating proceedings concerning controversial incidents from the PiS rule period. „To jest zdrada” (Do Rzeczy) — The phrase "this is treason" is an evaluative, emotional editorial comment, not a dry legal fact. In colloquial speech, "treason" means a serious breach of loyalty, whereas in a legal context, the minister's decision could be considered favorable to the accused. Representatives of the ruling coalition centered around the Civic Platform have not yet publicly commented on the case or the minister's decision. The lack of an official government position may indicate internal tensions or a desire to avoid media publicity on this sensitive issue. This event highlights the ongoing political polarization in Poland and deep divisions in the assessment of state actions during the migration crisis.