Polish judiciary suspends judges access to classified data amid scandal

The Polish Supreme Court Council (KRS) has suspended a controversial judge’s access to classified documents containing personal data, citing unresolved ethical concerns tied to a 2019 scandal. On Tuesday, the KRS Presidency announced it had revoked Judge Łukasz Piebiak’s access to all legally protected personal data documents until the Council reaches a formal decision, according to a statement from the KRS spokesperson. The move follows a 2016 appointment by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has since faced criticism over Piebiak’s alleged involvement in the so-called "troll army" scandal within the Ministry of Justice .

The decision marks the latest escalation in a long-running dispute over judicial transparency and accountability. In 2019, Piebiak was publicly linked by Polish media to a coordinated online harassment campaign targeting critics of the government’s judicial reforms. The scandal prompted widespread condemnation and calls for his removal from the KRS, the body responsible for overseeing judicial appointments and discipline. The KRS’s action on Tuesday suggests the council is now prioritizing procedural safeguards over immediate disciplinary action, leaving Piebiak’s future role in limbo.

The suspension comes amid broader tensions between Poland’s judiciary and the ruling PiS government, which has repeatedly clashed with European institutions over judicial independence. Critics argue that the KRS, which has faced accusations of politicization, is using administrative measures to sidestep more substantive accountability. The decision also raises questions about the handling of sensitive personal data within the judiciary, particularly as Poland prepares for a critical review of its rule-of-law compliance by the European Commission later this year.

Meanwhile, in Romania, a similar clash over transparency unfolded as the state-owned real estate agency RA-APPS removed a public list of tenants from its website following a court ruling. The Bucharest Court of Appeal suspended a government order mandating the publication of personal data for individuals occupying state-owned properties, after six auditors from the Court of Accounts filed legal challenges . The decision reverses an earlier move by RA-APPS to disclose the information, which had been made public just days prior.

In Germany, prosecutors in Stuttgart have provisionally closed a high-profile embezzlement case against Jürgen Graf, the medical director of Frankfurt University Hospital, after he agreed to pay a €50,000 fine. The proceedings, which began in February, were discontinued under a settlement agreement, though Graf did not admit guilt . The case had drawn scrutiny over alleged misuse of hospital funds, but the resolution suggests a negotiated exit rather than a judicial verdict.

Separately, the German Bundestag has lifted the parliamentary immunity of AfD politician Lars Haise, allowing prosecutors in Stuttgart to proceed with charges that he violated privacy laws by publishing a wanted poster featuring images of political opponents without consent . The move underscores growing legal pressure on far-right figures amid heightened scrutiny of their campaign tactics.