A Warsaw court ordered Zbigniew Ziobro to apologize to director Agnieszka Holland and donate to charity after he compared her film to Nazi and Stalinist propaganda.
Ziobro Ordered to Apologize to Holland
On Tuesday, March 17th, the District Court in Warsaw, Civil Division XXV, ruled in favor of Agnieszka Holland in her lawsuit against Zbigniew Ziobro regarding the protection of personal rights, as reported by Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, who, along with Michał Wawrykiewicz, represented the director.
The case stemmed from Ziobro’s statements – while serving as Minister of Justice – in the fall of 2023, which attacked Holland and her film “Green Border,” focusing on the migration crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border.
Court Mandates Public Apology and Donation
Zbigniew Ziobro must publicly apologize to Agnieszka Holland. The court ordered him to publish a statement on X (formerly Twitter) reading: “I, Zbigniew Ziobro, hereby apologize to Agnieszka Holland for repeatedly violating her personal rights, in particular her name, honor, personal dignity, and artistic work by comparing her and her film ‘Green Border’ to the activities of propagandists of the Third Reich and Stalinism and other criminal regimes through accusations of a moral crime, and using other shameful and stigmatizing terms.”
Additionally, Ziobro was ordered to pay 50,000 złoty to the “Children of the Holocaust” Association.
Concerns Raised Over Judge’s Appointment
Holland’s legal representatives raised concerns about the composition of the court, noting that one judge was appointed through a flawed procedure involving the neo-KRS (the new National Council of the Judiciary). They filed a motion for recusal, which the Warsaw court rejected, creating grounds for appeal, according to the lawyer.
Film’s Significance Highlighted
“It’s good that such a verdict was reached, both in the context of Agnieszka Holland, who is an outstanding director, and of the film ‘Green Border’ itself, which addresses a serious and socially important topic of humanity and humanitarian aid,” Gregorczyk-Abram told Gazeta.pl.
Accountability and Freedom of Speech
The case demonstrates that no one is above accountability for violating the personal rights of others, including former ministers of justice. It also underscores that freedom of speech and criticism have limits, namely the rights and freedoms of others. The court’s decision indicates those limits were crossed, particularly regarding comparisons to Nazi and Stalinist propagandists.
Holland Anticipates Appeal
Agnieszka Holland stated to Gazeta.pl that she is pleased with the court’s decision. However, she added that such proceedings are initiated not to feel good, but to ensure that those who abuse their power and spread hatred are held accountable.
Holland also noted that her lawyers requested a change in the panel of judges due to the questionable appointment of the presiding judge, which could be grounds for a potential appeal. Despite this, she expressed cautious optimism about the outcome.
Ziobro’s Previous Statements
Ziobro had previously compared Holland and her film to Nazi and Soviet propaganda, citing a September 2023 post on X referencing a Belarusian propaganda film about Poles during the pre-war period. He questioned whether Holland had inspired Lukashenko, suggesting that propaganda methods remained consistent despite changing authors.
He also stated that in the Third Reich, Germans produced propaganda films portraying Poles as bandits and murderers, and that today, Agnieszka Holland was doing the same.
Prior Injunction and Ziobro’s Response
In September 2023, a Warsaw court prohibited Ziobro from associating Agnieszka Holland’s name and work with authoritarian criminal regimes in all media and public statements. Ziobro dismissed the decision as an attack on freedom of speech guaranteed by the constitution and accused the court of interfering in the election campaign of the Civic Platform (PO) party. He continued to criticize “Green Border” in similar terms, even after the ruling.
