Polish president pardons two jailed former government ministers

Polish President Andrzej Duda gives a statement to media about the pardon of the jailed former ministers, former Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik, in Warsaw, Poland, January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki

WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday pardoned two members of the former government and called for their immediate release from prison, in line with demands from the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party that lost power last month.

Former interior minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik were jailed this month after being sentenced for abuse of power in previous roles. Both men went on hunger strike, claiming to be "political prisoners", and their jailing triggered large protests by tens of thousands of PiS supporters.