Prosecutor general seeks arrest of opposition MEP

On 2 June 2026, Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek formally asked the European Parliament to lift the immunity of Patryk Jaki, a Polish MEP from the Law and Justice (PiS) party. The request, sent to EP President Roberta Metsola, also seeks permission for Jaki's detention and forced appearance before prosecutors. The move stems from an investigation by the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Poznań, set up in 2024 to examine irregularities in the Prison Service between 2015 and 2023.

The investigation alleges that Jaki, as deputy minister of justice responsible for the Prison Service, exceeded his authority and failed in his duties by issuing personnel orders regarding a specific officer. According to the prosecutor's statement, Jaki allegedly made decisions that served 'solely the appointment' of the officer, even while disciplinary proceedings were ongoing against him.

Jaki calls the accusations "the stupidest in history"

At a press conference in the Sejm on the same day, Jaki did not mince words.

“This request is one of the funniest, one of the stupidest in the history of the Third Republic. Anyone who reads it will see it's the height of absurdity.”

He argued that the core of the charge boils down to transferring one officer from point A to point B, which the prosecution deemed not important for the service.

Jaki pointed out that the disciplinary case against the officer in question ended favorably for him, with a binding court decision. He questioned why the official communication omitted that outcome.

“If we follow this reasoning, then Donald Tusk, who appointed Waldemar Żurek as justice minister, committed the crime of appointment. That's ridiculous.”

He insisted that a minister makes personnel decisions every day, and charging him for such a routine act sets a dangerous precedent.

Political reactions and context

Former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, under whom Jaki served, told TV Republika that the move reveals the current government's desperation.

“This betrays their nervousness, desperation, and extreme irresponsibility. When this government loses ground, it commits image suicide.”

Ziobro likened the situation to a pattern of political vendettas, referencing a separate team of prosecutors recently assigned to monitor journalists from the opposition-aligned Republica TV.

Jaki himself framed the request as a distraction from the government's failures, such as the recent local referendum in Kraków and complaints from doctors.

“If they could, they would arrest the residents of Kraków, the complaining doctors, or all the problems they have. Since they can't, they must divert attention.”

What comes next

Jaki said that MEPs cannot voluntarily waive immunity under European Parliament rules, so the fate of the case rests with the EP's decision. He pledged to appear voluntarily for questioning if the request is granted and even offered to surrender his passport. He also demanded full public transparency in any proceedings.

“I want you all to see what happened here. Just how political, ridiculous and stupid these accusations are.”

The European Parliament must now consider the request. No timeline has been set for a decision.