Lukashenka granted asylum to Tomasz Schmidt, persecuted in Poland

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko granted asylum to ex-judge Tomasz Schmidt, persecuted in Poland for political reasons. This was reported in the press service of the Belarusian leader on November 22.

"The President granted asylum in Belarus to Tomasz Schmidt, persecuted for political reasons in Poland," reads the message.

In addition, Lukashenko signed decrees on the admission to the citizenship of Belarus of foreign persons and stateless persons who live in the country. It is specified that 257 people, including 15 minors, became new citizens of the republic. The Belarusian citizenship was acquired by persons who came from 16 countries.

Schmidt left for Belarus in early May, in connection with which the Prosecutor General's Office of Poland launched a check against the judge. Then, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that intelligence services of Belarus had interacted with the judge for many years, and he had access to very valuable information concerning Poland.

June 10, the District Court of Warsaw issued a European arrest warrant for Schmidt. At the same time, Interpol refused to search for him. Katarzyna Nowak, spokeswoman for the Polish Police Headquarters, said that the Pole's actions are considered as espionage, which falls under Article 3 of the statute of the international organization. As a consequence, the processing of data through Interpol channels cannot be authorized.