Over 100 Polish opposition politicians sign guarantee letters for detained priest

Over 100 politicians from Poland’s right-wing opposition have signed a guarantee letter in support of the release of Michał Olszewski, a priest being held in pretrial detention on suspicion of involvement in corruption in the justice ministry under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government.

The signatories hope that the document, filed with the local prosecutor’s office and court, will allow Olszewski to be released from custody, where he has been held since March. The priest’s supporters claim that his treatment by the authorities amounts to torture.

“We guarantee that Father Michał Olszewski will cooperate fully with the authorities,” reads the letter, which has been signed by 98 PiS parliamentarians and “several” MPs from the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) party, said PiS spokesman Rafał Bohenek.

“For honest and legitimate state authorities, [the guarantee letter] can unequivocally provide a basis for the release of the detained priest,” added Bochenek, quoted by news website Interia.

Olszewski was detained and charged as part of an investigation into the alleged corrupt use of state funds under the PiS government.

Prosecutors allege that Olszewski, among other things, participated in corruption that led to his foundation receiving more than 66 million zloty (€15.3 million) from the justice ministry despite not meeting the formal requirements to receive the money.

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However, PiS figures have claimed that the case against Olszewski is part of the “political revenge” being carried out by the new government that came to office in December last year. They have also raised concern about the priest’s health amid claims – denied by the prison authorities – that he is being mistreated.

In the letter, the politicians wrote that the priest “will not unlawfully obstruct the ongoing criminal proceedings and will appear at any summons from the court or prosecutor in the present case”.

They also said that “the suspect will not change his place of residence during the proceedings and will inform [the authorities] about any planned change of residence”.

In April, the regional court in Warsaw rejected a complaint against the priest’s detention. Most recently, in late August, the court decided to extend his detention for another three months, reports the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

Main image credit: Robert Robaszewski / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Alicja Ptak

Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.