This is undoubtedly a violation of personal rights – said Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, Agnieszka Holland’s representative, talking about the entry about the director and the Third Reich by Zbigniew Ziobro. The attorney added that he was therefore asked to apologize and pay PLN 50,000 to one of the foundations. – I have no doubt that it was not criticism. It was rather an element of the election campaign and a nod to her radical electorate, added Gregorczyk-Abram, emphasizing the “Nazi-fascist” comparisons of the head of the Ministry of Justice.
Attorney Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, on the initiative of Free Courts, spoke in “Wzostasz i weekend” on TVN24 about the dispute between the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro and director, president of the European Film Academy Agnieszka Holland.
Ziobro wrote on the X platform (former Twitter) that “in the Third Reich Germany they produced propaganda films showing Poles as bandits and murderers. Today they have Agnieszka Holland for that.” In reaction to these words, the artist said through her representative Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram that “intends to defend itself legally“.
Ziobro-Holland dispute. “The minister received seven days”
The attorney said on TVN24 that Ziobro’s statement “is undoubtedly a violation of personal rights.” – I think this is also a crime under Article 212 of the Penal Code, i.e. insulting Mrs. Agnieszka Holland. Agnieszka Holland is our client, mine and that of our attorney Michał Wawrykiewicz, and on her behalf we called on Minister Ziobro to apologize for now and donate PLN 50,000 to Children of the Holocaust, to such a foundation – said Gregorczyk-Abram.
– The minister was given seven days to comply with this voluntary request. If this does not happen, and here we probably have no illusions that it will not happen, we will file a lawsuit on behalf of Mrs. Agnieszka Holland for infringement of personal rights, because this is undoubtedly the situation we are dealing with here – added the lawyer.
§ 1. Whoever accuses another person, group of people, institution, legal person or organizational unit without legal personality of such conduct or characteristics that may humiliate him in public opinion or expose him to the loss of trust necessary for a given position, profession or type of activity, shall be subject to a fine or restriction of liberty. § 2. If the perpetrator commits the act specified in § 1 using the media, he or she shall be subject to a fine, restriction of liberty or imprisonment for up to one year. § 3. In the event of a conviction for an offense specified in § 1 or 2, the court may award compensation to the injured party, the Polish Red Cross or to another social purpose indicated by the injured party. § 4. Prosecution of the crime specified in § 1 or 2 is carried out by private prosecution.
“These are all things that the court will take into account”
According to Gregorczyk-Abram, Ziobro’s words “definitely” do not fall within the limits of criticism and are “very unfair comparisons.” – Especially the Nazi-fascist ones, related to such a difficult history of both Poland and Mrs. Agnieszka Holland herself – she added, emphasizing that “her family was an active participant in the Warsaw Uprising.”
– These are all things that the court will take into account. Judging by how much Agnieszka Holland’s good lady was violated, here I have no doubt that it was not criticism. It was rather an element of the election campaign and a nod to his radical electorate. This is how we assess it, she added.
Main photo source: TVN24