A former TVN24 journalist has filed a lawsuit against publicist Rafał Ziemkiewicz, with the first hearing scheduled for January 20, 2026.
Background of the Lawsuit
Former TVN24 journalist Piotr Czaban filed a lawsuit against Rafał Ziemkiewicz in December 2025. The Warsaw District Court has now set the date for the first hearing on January 20, 2026. Czaban announced this on X, stating he sued Ziemkiewicz for defamation and false statements about him. He expressed gratitude to those who supported him in the matter.
Allegations and Legal Claims
The lawsuit pertains to Ziemkiewicz’s statements made on October 16, 2025, where he suggested that Russian spy Paweł Rubcow had contact with Piotr Czaban. Czaban responded on his website, accusing Ziemkiewicz of publicly lying about him, claiming he had ties to a Russian spy, fabricated evidence, and published false information. Czaban stated that Ziemkiewicz’s actions endangered not only him but also his family, damaging his reputation, patriotism, credibility, and integrity as a journalist and a person. After demanding an apology without success, Czaban took the case to court.
Financial and Legal Demands
Czaban is seeking an apology, a retraction of false statements, and compensation of 30,000 zloty from Ziemkiewicz. He has also launched a crowdfunding campaign on Patronite to cover legal fees, attorney costs, and travel expenses for the hearings. So far, he has raised 8,650 zloty out of the 10,000 zloty needed.
The Case of Paweł Rubcow
Paweł Rubcow, who posed as Spanish journalist Pablo Gonzalez in Poland, was arrested in 2022. He was accused of spying for Russian military intelligence, gathering information on critical infrastructure and key security systems in Poland. In August 2024, Rubcow was released from custody and sent to Moscow as part of a prisoner exchange between Western countries and Russia and Belarus.
