Senior official under former Polish government detained over media campaign that attacked judges

A former senior official under Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been detained and charged in connection with a probe into the misuse of public funds. The investigation centers around the Polish National Foundation (PFN), a state-backed entity established by PiS to promote Poland internationally. Instead, the foundation allegedly spent 8.4 million zloty (approximately €1.9 million) on a domestic advertising campaign criticizing the country's judiciary, a move that later drew legal scrutiny. The two individuals detained were Maciej Ś., a 64-year-old former board member of the PFN during the time of the disputed spending in 2017, and Cezary J., a 63-year-old former PFN board member. Both were arrested on orders from the regional prosecutor in Rzeszow, according to officials from the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau. They face charges related to abuse of power and failure to fulfill their duties. The investigation focuses on the PFN's "Fair Courts" campaign, launched in 2017. This initiative used billboards and other forms of advertising within Poland to highlight perceived flaws in the judiciary, aiming to justify PiS's push for judicial reforms. The campaign echoed PiS's narrative that judges formed a self-serving elite, using examples such as a judge caught stealing a sausage in 2006—a case that had already drawn criticism for its sensationalism. The PFN was founded in 2016 by 17 state-owned companies, tasked with promoting Poland abroad. However, the "Fair Courts" campaign deviated sharply from this mission. In 2018, a Warsaw court ruled that the campaign violated the PFN's statutory objectives, noting that the advertisements not only failed to improve Poland's international image but instead harmed it by creating a negative perception of the judiciary based on isolated incidents. Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister overseeing Poland's security services, commented on the arrests, stating that the campaign was a direct response to political directives from the PiS government and aimed to undermine independent courts. He emphasized the financial loss suffered by the foundation, estimating it at no less than 8.4 million zloty, while acknowledging the broader, intangible harm caused by the campaign's content. Prosecutors confirmed late Tuesday that Cezary J. had been formally charged. On Wednesday morning, it was reported that Maciej Ś. had also been charged and restricted from leaving the country. These developments follow years of controversy surrounding the PFN and its role in advancing PiS's agenda domestically rather than fulfilling its intended purpose of enhancing Poland's global standing. The PFN's actions have long been a point of contention among critics of the PiS government, who argue that the foundation was misused to serve political ends. The "Fair Courts" campaign, in particular, became emblematic of the broader conflict between PiS and the judiciary, which the government accused of obstructing reform efforts. The campaign's focus on individual judges, often highlighting minor infractions, was widely viewed as an attempt to delegitimize the entire judicial system. The legal proceedings against Ś. and J. represent a continuation of ongoing investigations into potential misconduct involving high-ranking figures from the previous PiS administration. These cases could have implications for the current government, given the close ties between some of the accused and present-day officials. As the investigation unfolds, attention will remain focused on how these legal actions might influence the political landscape in Poland.