The Guardian: 'They’re trying to break me' - Polish judges face state-led intimidation - Jun. 19, 2018

The Guardian: ‘They’re trying to break me’ – Polish judges face state-led intimidation

Published June 19, 2018. Updated June 19 at 4:53 pm

Newly-appointed Polish Minister of Interior and Administration, Joachim Brudzinski, walks on January 9, 2018 during a ceremony with Polish president at the presidential palace in Warsaw, following a sweeping reshuffle of the government. Poland's new rightwing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has sacked his defence and foreign ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle that comes just over a month after his own appointment. Controversial defence minister Antoni Macierewicz and foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski lost their jobs along with environment minister Jan Szyszko among others as Morawiecki seeks to mend ties with Poland's EU partners strained since his Law and Justice (PiS) party took office in 2015.

Photo by AFP

Three high-profile Polish judges have complained of a “state-led campaign of intimidation and harassment” against them, as Poland’s ruling party tightens its grip on the judiciary.

Since taking power in 2015 the Law and Justice party (PiS) has assumed direct oversight of state prosecutors and the judicial body that appoints, promotes and disciplines judges, as well as the power to dismiss and appoint court presidents, who wield considerable power and influence in the Polish justice system.