The Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior has filed a report with the public prosecutor’s office following controversial remarks by satirist Jan Pietrzak. In response, Justice Minister Adam Bodnar stated that he was requesting the National Prosecutor to review the case, signaling a formal probe into the statements in question.
What did Jan Pietrzak say?
On Sunday, December 31, Pietrzak appeared on Telewizja Republika and spoke at length about immigrants in a way that drew swift scrutiny. He framed the issue as a harsh, provocative joke, suggesting that immigrants were counting on Polish people to be unprepared because Poland allegedly had barracks for deportees. He invoked infamous sites such as Auschwitz, Majdanek, Treblinka, and Sztutowo, claiming that shelters or accommodations for immigrants existed there due to actions supposedly taken by Germans in the past. He described an atmosphere where those who seek a better life are labeled as not illegal, while accusing current authorities of unlawfulness for allowing entry. He further claimed that German initiatives aimed at welcoming newcomers were illegal, asserting a perception that these acts represented illegal German activity. In closing, he urged heightened sensitivity in the coming year, expressing irritation at the direction of events.
“Well, that’s a very strong joke indeed,” observed presenter Katarzyna Gójska in response.
READ ALSO: Storm after Pietrzak’s remarks. What was the full explanation? “We have to be sensitive to that in the coming year.”
Bodnar takes the floor
In a statement released on social media, Attorney General Adam Bodnar announced that he had instructed the national prosecutor to address the satirist’s remarks and to initiate a formal investigation. He wrote that he had asked National Prosecutor Dariusz Barski to examine Pietrzak’s statements on Telewizja Republika and to pursue an inquiry accordingly.
I have asked National Prosecutor Dariusz Barski to address Jan Pietrzak’s statement on Telewizja Republika and start an investigation.
OMZRiK reports this to the public prosecutor’s office
The Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior issued a statement that it had submitted a report to the Public Prosecution Service in response to Pietrzak’s comments. The organization said it had reported a crime committed by Pietrzak and Telewizja Republika, notifying the Warsaw Public Prosecutor’s Office about accusations of promoting Nazism and spreading racist threats by Pietrzak.
According to the center, the report was initially sent by email and is expected to be followed by a postal submission the next day. It involves alleged public incitement to hatred based on ethnic, racial, or national origin—a crime described under relevant provisions of national law.
The center characterized Pietrzak’s remarks as a statement, noted for appearing frequently among racists, about barracks at concentration camps being ready to shelter immigrants. The organization described the matter as a dual concern: on one hand, it views the remarks as promotion of a totalitarian state system, and on the other as incitement to hatred toward individuals or groups. The characterization aligns with the interpretation of offenses under the prevailing criminal code.
The Center added that it would also file a complaint with the National Broadcasting Council against Telewizja Republika for disseminating the statements in question.
wkt/PAP/Twitter/X
“
Note: The coverage reflects ongoing parliamentary and public safety considerations surrounding public discourse and media accountability in relation to hate speech and the responsibilities of broadcasters.