The SDP Press Freedom Monitoring Center intervenes in the issue of behavior towards editor Michał Rachoń during Donald Tusk’s press conference. The Center will inform the public prosecutor’s office about this.
On the CMWP SDP website a Dr. Jolanta Hajdasz signed statement published, in which the Center refers to the events in front of the TVP building in Warsaw.
As we read in the document, the Center wants to submit a report to the prosecutor’s office.
Full text of the statement
CMWP SDP strongly protests against attempts by Civic Coalition politicians to intimidate journalists by threatening them. Another example of this is the behavior of opposition politicians towards editor Michał Rachoń during the KO press conference in front of the TVP headquarters in Warsaw. In the opinion of CMWP SDP, this was both an obstacle and a suppression of press criticism, which, in accordance with Art. 44 of the Press Act is punishable by a fine or restriction of freedom. Taking into account the importance of the political topics discussed by editor Michał Rachoń in the author’s journalistic programs and the threat to the security of him and his loved ones arising from these threats, CMWP SDP announces that it will soon issue a notification submit to the Public Prosecution Service with a request to start an investigation into this case.
On Tuesday, September 19, Donald Tusk made a statement during his press conference in front of the TVP building on Powstańców Square in Warsaw, in which TVP journalist Michał Rachoń tried to ask questions to the head of the Civic Platform. The journalist asked, among other things: about the nature of his relations with Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin, quoted on May 9, 2010. Angela Merkel informed Bronisław Komorowski that the Charlemagne Prize was a reward for your reset policy. Were you aware of this? – asked Michał Rachoń. Instead of reacting, he faced aggression from PO politicians. The TVP journalist was pressured by a member of parliament from the Civic Coalition, Piotr Borys, and another candidate for parliament from the KO list, Michał Kołodziejczak, threatened him. Donald Tusk ignored all questions and announced that the journalist would be held criminally liable after the elections won by KO. Other people around the Civic Platform leader, including: Hanna Gill-Piątek and Andrzej Rozenek drowned out the questions asked. The candidate for the Sejm from the KO list who went furthest in his threats was Andrzej Rozenek, who directly asked editor Michał Rachoń: “how many apartments have you bought for rent, how many apartments do you have, six or seven”? – Did you know that we have the addresses of these apartments? – added. Andrzej Rozenek is a former close associate of Jerzy Urban, the press spokesman of the communist government during martial law, associated with the most brutal actions of the communist secret services against the underground ‘Solidarity’. A. Rozenek was associated with the weekly magazine NIE published by Urban from 1997, in 2006 –2011 and 2015–2019 he was deputy editor-in-chief. Because of his ties to the former communist services, his threats must be taken very seriously.
According to CMWP SDP, this situation is particularly shocking and disturbing, also due to the fact that editor Michał Rachoń is the co-author of the documentary series “Reset”, which will be broadcast on TVP this year. So far, 11 episodes of the series have been released. released. In episodes of about an hour, the series “Reset” describes, among other things, international politics, Poland’s relations with Russia and the NATO countries. Germany and reveals the background of this policy in the presented documents, archive film material and in conversations with guests, participants and analysts of the events discussed. Donald Tusk has not yet commented on the accusations made against him in the film, nor has he responded in any way to the released documents or other circumstances of the so-called “reset with Russia” policy.
CMWP SDP announces that it will submit a report to the Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding verbal and physical attacks on editor Michał Rachoń on suspicion of committing a crime by suppressing press criticism by Civic Coalition politicians. At the same time, CMWP SDP once again calls on ensuring the safety of journalists while performing their professional duties, especially during the current Parliamentary election campaign.
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Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.