The Sejm did not lift the immunity of four PiS lawmakers: Joanna Lichocka, Piotr Gliński, Mariusz Błaszczak and Paweł Szefernaker. The action was requested by a junior prosecutor, Rafał Gaweł, who argued that promoting a satire of refugees by these MPs fueled hostility and public antipathy toward a protected group.
On Friday, the Sejm dismissed the motions submitted by the subordinate prosecutor Rafał Gawel on February 6, 2022, as part of the legal process initiated by lawyer Magdalena Spisak. The motions sought the Sejm’s permission to prosecute the four PiS deputies named above.
Voting records showed 193 members in favor of lifting the immunity of Joanna Lichocka, a member of the National Media Council, with 249 against and five abstentions.
For Piotr Gliński, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the tally was 194 in favor and 246 against, with four abstentions.
In the case of Mariusz Błaszczak, the head of the Ministry of National Defence, 196 deputies supported lifting immunity, while 248 were opposed and two abstained.
Regarding Paweł Szefernaker, deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, 195 deputies voted to lift immunity, 246 were against, and three abstained.
The Rules, Deputies Affairs and Immunities Committee recommended that the Sejm reject the requests to lift immunity for all four deputies.
The issue at hand concerns the use of the “Secure Local Government” advertisement on Twitter by these deputies as part of the 2018 municipal election campaign. Lawyer Magdalena Spisak stated at the committee meeting that the advertisement clearly produced a sense of hostility, non-acceptance, and anger toward refugees, and that promoting it on social networks contributed to hate speech by MPs.
Founder of the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior
The person who filed the subsidiary complaint, Rafał Gaweł, is noted as the founder of the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior.
A subsidiary charge may be filed when law enforcement agencies twice refuse to open or continue an investigation. In such a scenario, the aggrieved party can submit the request, thereby taking part in the legal process as a public prosecutor.
Additional context about the political dynamics surrounding the affair includes the broader discussion of how political communication on social networks intersects with issues of discrimination, freedom of expression, and parliamentary responsibility.
In summary, the vote reflected the Sejm’s cautious stance regarding whether parliamentary immunity should shield lawmakers from prosecution in this case, amid concerns over inflammatory content and its potential impact on public attitudes toward refugees.
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce