Hungary has granted political asylum to Poland's former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro who is facing charges of embezzlement. Ziobro is facing 26 charges related to embezzling money from a fund meant for crime victims and rehabilitating criminals.
Instead, he is accused of authorising the purchase of spyware allegedly used to hack political opponents' phones. He claims to be a victim of political persecution.
Granting asylum to a citizen of a fellow EU member state contradicts EU standards, but this is not new for Hungary. Ziobro is the second politician from the former Justice and Law party to be granted asylum, following his deputy last year.
Both are criticized for corruption and misusing state funds. From 2015 to 2023, Ziobro served in a PiS-led government aligned with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
If convicted, Ziobro faces up to 25 years in prison. In his statement on X, he declared his fight against what he perceives as political banditry in Poland.
Ziobro is accused of misusing state funds for partisan gains and overseeing controversial judiciary reforms that have strained relations with the EU.
Orban aims to position himself as a leader in the patriotic movement, making Ziobro’s asylum request politically advantageous for Hungary as it maneuvers through allegations of EU oppression.
