Imprisoned MPs Pardoned In Poland: What Was Their Crime?

Kamiński and Wąsik were convicted on charges of abuse of power and document forgery stemming from actions they took in 2007 while serving in a previous government led by the party Law and Justice.

Poland President Andrzej Duda - Credit: AP

On Tuesday, January 23, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda announced his decision to grant pardon once more to two politicians who had been apprehended earlier this month. The arrests occurred amid an intense standoff between the recently established centrist government and the preceding conservative administration.

Duda stated that his choice to pardon the detained politicians was driven by a concern for their health. Additionally, he mentioned that it aligned with the wishes of supporters of the Law and Justice party.

He made the announcement shortly after the new justice minister rejected his proposal to initiate a pardon procedure for two prominent opposition members who held positions in the former right-wing government until December. It’s worth noting that Duda has close ties with the Law and Justice party, which was in power during that period.

The two imprisoned MPs Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik were convicted of abuse of power and forging documents for actions taken in 2007, when they served in an earlier Law and Justice-led government.

They were sentenced to two years in prison in December 2023 but were arrested at the presidential palace in January 2024, where they sought refuge at Duda’s invitation.

Both individuals had initiated a hunger strike, and there are reports that Kaminski underwent a medical examination at a hospital.

Their arrest and imprisonment had sparked a bitter political row between the new centrist government and the previous conservative administration.

Duda had already pardoned them in 2015, but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2023.

Now, Duda’s appeal to Justice Minister Adam Bodnar for the immediate release of the two MPs resulted in their release only a few hours later – even though Bodnar personally had advised against it. The two politicians were greeted outside by their wives and enthusiastic supporters.