Polish Ministry of Justice ordered to apologize to judge

The District Court in Warsaw has ordered the Polish Minister of Justice, Waldemar Żurek, to issue a written apology on behalf of the State Treasury to Judge Jacek Zbigniew Przygucki. The ruling addresses statements made by the Ministry regarding the dismissal of Przygucki from his position as President of the District Court in Suwałki.

The court found that the Ministry had violated the judge's good name by creating a false impression that his removal was due to a lack of sufficient judicial and managerial experience, a lack of support from the judicial community, or that his appointment was based on political loyalty rather than merit.

The case stems from actions taken in late 2024 by former Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar during a period of judicial restructuring. Judge Przygucki filed a private indictment for defamation, alleging that the Ministry's communications humiliated him and undermined the public trust necessary to perform his duties as a judge.