Prosecutors open investigation into alleged assault on Constitutional Tribunal judges Korwin-Piotrowska and Markiewicz

In brief

• Poland's National Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation on Tuesday into an alleged active assault on two Constitutional Tribunal judges.
• The alleged incident happened during the night of October 30 to 31 at the tribunal building in Warsaw.
• The presidential chancellery announced complaints against the judges over alleged violation of the president's physical integrity.

Investigation opened over night-time confrontation

A prosecutor from the National Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation on Tuesday into an alleged active assault on judges Anna Korwin-Piotrowska and Krystian Markiewicz of the Constitutional Tribunal, the prosecutor general's spokeswoman, prosecutor Anna Adamiak, said (Napaść na Annę Korwin-Piotrowską i Krystiana Markiewicza? Ruszyło śledztwo – Dziennik.pl) ("Naparli z impetem i siłą odepchnęli sędziów". Prokuratura wkracza do akcji w sprawie TK – Bankier.pl). The probe also covers an alleged attempt to exert unlawful influence on the tribunal's official activities by means of violence and threats (Prokuratura wszczęła śledztwo w sprawie Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. "Napaść na sędziów" – Onet).

What allegedly happened

The incident took place at the tribunal building in Warsaw (Napaść na sędziów Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Prokuratura wszczęła śledztwo – Rzeczpospolita).

Reactions from officials

Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said that law in Poland is not decided by physical strength or a night-time intrusion (Jest śledztwo ws. napaści na sędzię Korwin-Piotrowską. Żurek: O prawie w Polsce nie decydują mięśnie ani nocne wtargnięcie – RMF24). Deputy prime minister and PSL vice-chair Urszula Pasławska said the judge's decision was grounded in legal interpretation and that violence and force were unnecessary ("Przemoc i siła były niepotrzebne" Pasławska o wydarzeniach w TK – Wirtualna Polska).

Presidential chancellery complaints

President Karol Nawrocki's office announced that the chancellery would file notifications with prosecutors against Korwin-Piotrowska, Maciej Berek and Markiewicz, alleging that the president's physical integrity was violated during the same night's events.

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