The Warsaw District Court fined journalist Wojciech Czuchnowski of Gazeta Wyborcza 1,000 PLN for what the court deemed an unfounded and unauthorized refusal to respond to the plaintiff’s questions. Czuchnowski testified as a witness in a case brought by the publisher of Gazeta Wyborcza, in connection with the ongoing hate scandal saga tied to the Ministry of Justice and related publications.
Interrogation of Czuchnowski
The proceedings focus on a series of articles about the so‑called hate scandal at the Ministry of Justice and a 2019 incident linked to it. The central figure in the matter is a judge, Konrad Wytrykowski, who filed a lawsuit against the Gazeta Wyborcza publisher. During today’s hearing, Czuchnowski was questioned as the principal author of many of the articles touching on this issue.
The journalist had initially failed to appear at two hearings, a fact that was later excused by the court.
Bartosz Lewandowski, Wytrykowski’s legal representative, told tvp.info that the aim of the testimony was to verify the origins and development of the published pieces. According to the accounts of the judiciary and Emilia Sz., there was no active hate group among messengers, and Sz. did not receive payment for her social media activity. Their contacts with Wytrykowski appeared sporadic and separate from her online ventures.
Lewandowski noted that Czuchnowski said he received the material in digital form on August 21, 2019, and that a team of experts would evaluate it. The materials were provided in the afternoon, with a meeting with Emilia Sz. taking place after the publication cycle. Despite this, Gazeta Wyborcza published articles on August 22 morning about a so‑called hate group, and about the activities of Emilia Sz. The pieces allegedly linked Wytrykowski to the group and suggested that its inspiration and funding extended beyond him to individuals involved with multiple sclerosis advocacy groups.
Insulting statement and punishment for a journalist
The judge’s counsel sought to understand how the information could be verified so rapidly, how the articles appeared in the newspaper the following day, and what role IT specialists played in processing the materials before publication.
The line of inquiry prompted a strong reaction. Czuchnowski indicated he would not answer questions from the attorney or the plaintiff, signaling a belief that the questions were improper in that moment.
According to the attorney, Czuchnowski read a statement that he found deeply offensive to Judge Wytrykowski and described the move to bring the matter to court as a challenge to an independent media outlet.
The witness argued that the situation reflected pressure on independent journalists who defend the independence of the courts and the principle of democracy, a point emphasized by the attorney.
As the session continued, Czuchnowski declined to answer further questions, asserting that the reasons stated in the statement justified his stance. The hearing proceeded with the request of the plaintiff’s side, and the court subsequently imposed a fine of 1,000 PLN on Czuchnowski for what was described as an unfounded and unauthorized refusal to answer the plaintiff’s questions.
The journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza remains summoned for another appearance in the case.