Source: https://ipi.media/polish-rights-ombudsman-criticises-criminal-defamation/
Timestamp: 2018-06-21 12:07:05
Document Index: 336835449

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 212', 'Art. 212', 'Art. 212', 'Art. 212', 'Art. 212', 'Art. 213']

Polish rights ombudsman criticises criminal defamation – International Press Institute
Polish rights ombudsman criticises criminal defamation
Despite campaign, notorious Art. 212 remains in force
Prof. Irena Lipowicz, the Polish Ombudsman (Human Rights Defender). Photo courtesy of the Office of the Human Rights Defender.
The Polish Ombudsman has criticised the possibility of imprisonment under Poland’s criminal defamation law, calling it a potential “constraint on public debate and the freedom of the press”.
In 2012 Prof. Lipowicz challenged the imprisonment clause before the Polish Constitutional Court, which in October 2006 had held that criminal defamation did not violate the right to freedom of expression under the Polish Constitution. However, the Court dismissed Prof. Lipowicz’s motion in June 2013, declaring that its 2006 ruling settled the matter.
IPI, which is currently leading an EU-wide awareness-raising and advocacy campaign around the issue of defamation and freedom of expression, asked Prof. Lipowicz about her constitutional motion, the effects of Art. 212 on the press and her office’s concerns related to freedom of expression in Poland.
IPI: What kind of impact has Art. 212 – and, specifically, the existence of imprisonment as a possible punishment for defamation – had on freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Poland?
Lipowicz: In some cases, the penalty of imprisonment can be a constraint on public debate and freedom of the press. It seems that even if it is a potential threat it must be eliminated from a democratic state of law.
Lipowicz: This issue was already solved by the Polish Constitutional Court in its judgment of 30thof October 2006 (Ref. P 10/06). On that occasion, the Court concluded that the criminalisation of defamation in Art. 212, Sec. 1 and 2 does not constitute in principle an unreasonable interference in freedom of expression and the freedom of the press.
IPI: Are there challenges in terms of the way that Polish courts balance freedom of expression and the right to reputation?
Lipowicz: We can observe a certain number of requests for cassation [Ed. review of rulings on points of law] in cases involving Art. 212. In recent years, these kinds of requests are very rare. However, it should be noted that if a convicted journalist turns to my office in such a case, the matter would be investigated also in terms of the right to freedom of criticism, particularly with the question it served the defence of socially legitimate interest [Ed. “justification”, set forth in Art. 213, Sec. 2].
IPI-author2016-06-28T10:51:31+00:00