The Polish security services once again confirmed that any deepened criticism of violations of the rule of law and of democracy in Poland MUST simply be done for the benefit of Russian intelligence. There just cannot be any other real opposition in Poland than the Russian spies themselves!

Polish intelligence arrested a well-known human rights activist, Janusz Niedźwiecki, on charges of “acting for the sake of Russian interests” in Poland and the structures of the European Union. Niedźwiecki is imprisoned with no contact with his family and without the right to a lawyer, but it is known that he does not plead guilty.

Niedźwiecki is a co-founder of the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, an international organization that monitors democratic processes around the world. On its behalf, he conducted election observation missions in the former Soviet republics and is also known for his activity in exposing crimes committed by Nazi volunteer battalions in the Donbas. The arrested activist was one of the close associates of Mateusz Piskorski, the leader of the banned Change (Zmiana) party in Poland, who for three years without a court sentence was imprisoned on the same charges. Piskorski, released after international protests, is still unable to leave the country, and his trial is taking place behind closed doors. Niedźwiecki is a witness of defence there, and thanks to his international contacts, he had also inspired interventions in Piskorski’s case from international human rights organisations, including the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

According to colleagues, it was the international discrediting of the Polish Internal Security Agency that caused the secret service to take revenge. Niedźwiecki revealed how the rule of law was violated on many occasions in the Piskorski’s case, which is why he had to “turn out to be a spy”, say his friends. And what would Niedźwiecki's fault be in the opinion of Polish counterintelligence? “Janusz N., at the request of people working for the Russian intelligence, tried to establish contact with Polish and foreign politicians, including those working in the European Parliament. The suspect carried out his activities in Poland, the European Union and other countries, which was part of the Russian propaganda and disinformation projects undertaken in order to weaken the position of the Republic of Poland in the EU and on the international arena”, announced the Polish National Prosecutor's Office. Investigators did not comment on the fact that the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights is a legal lobbying group registered at the European Parliament. They also once again confirmed that any deepened criticism of violations of the rule of law and of democracy in Poland MUST simply be done for the benefit of Russian intelligence. There just cannot be any other real opposition in Poland than the Russian spies themselves!

Niedźwiecki is facing up to 10 years in prison. Further arrests are expected in Poland, related to efforts to silence any criticism of Polish foreign policy, especially against another crisis in Polish-Russian and Polish-Belarusian relations escalated by the Polish Government. Poland continues to teach Russia and Belarus about what kind of democracy and rule of law is the most appropriate...