MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Interpol has rejected Poland’s request to issue an international arrest warrant for Tomasz Szmydt, judge for the Voivodeship Administrative Court of Warsaw, who fled to Belarus in early May, Polish police spokeswoman Katarzyna Nowak said.
"Interpol refused to issue a Red Notice for judge Tomasz Szmydt because [Interpol] oes not allow to use its channels to share data on actions against countries’ security, which are defined as political crimes," she told the PAP news agency.
On May 16, the polish national prosecutor’s office issued an arrest warrant for Szmydt, who had fled to Belarus and asked political asylum there. Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the judge, who had access to classified documents, had a long-standing relationship with Belarusian special services. Polish security services began a probe to identify secret data the fugitive judge had access to. Another probe into his spying activities was launched by the prosecutor’s office.
On May 6, Szmydt told a news conference in Minsk that he was seeking political asylum in Belarus as he opposes the Polish government’s policy. He also asked Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to ensure his protection because he cannot return to Poland due to security reasons.
Szmydt held various positions in Poland’s judicial system. He headed the legal department of the National Council of the Judiciary. He claims to have been persecuted and forced to flee the country because of his disagreement with the policy of the Polish authorities, who, in his words, are leading Poland towards war under the influence of the United States and the United Kingdom.