Proceedings against former Polish President Andrzej Duda have begun in the District Court of Warsaw. He is accused of making statements that may contain elements of hate speech, made during a comment on Agnieszka Holland's film "Green Border". The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior, accusing the ex-president of violating human dignity. This was reported by RFM24, writes UNN.
Details
Today, October 24, the first hearing in a case that has attracted significant attention from Polish society took place in the Warsaw District Court. Former Polish President Andrzej Duda found himself in the dock – due to his comments on Agnieszka Holland's film "Green Border", which human rights activists considered demeaning and xenophobic.
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The reason for the scandal was Duda's words, spoken back in September 2023 on TVP Info. At that time, commenting on the work of Polish border guards, he stated that he was not surprised by their use of the phrase "only pigs sit in the cinema" – hinting at those who watched Holland's film. This remark caused a wave of criticism, as the expression has historical connotations related to the times of Nazi occupation.
The lawsuit against Duda was filed by the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior. Its head, Konrad Dulkowski, noted during the hearing that he perceived Duda's statements as a personal insult, especially given the public influence the president had.
An official of such a level must be aware of the weight of his words and not allow himself to make statements that demean others, he emphasized.
The plaintiff's representative, lawyer Magdalena Spisak, emphasized that Duda's statement was made in the public space, on state television, and therefore had a significant resonance. At the same time, the former president's lawyer, Krzysztof Kondrat, insisted on dismissing the lawsuit, stating that no personal rights of Dulkowski had been violated, and the case was a "political act."
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The court adjourned the hearing until November 6, 2025, when a decision is expected to be announced.
Context
The film "Green Border", which received the Special Jury Prize at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and the "Golden Lion" at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, tells the story of the drama on the Polish-Belarusian border. The film raises questions of humanity, the state's duty, and the moral choices of border guards.
Director Agnieszka Holland emphasized that her goal was not to accuse Polish officers, but to show the complexity of the situation. However, Duda's words became part of a political wave of criticism against the film, which divided Polish society.
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