A report by a Polish commission details how public media under the Law and Justice (PiS) party’s rule was used to repress and manipulate society, activists, and opposition.
Public Media Complicit in Repression
Poland’s public media during the Law and Justice (PiS) party’s rule failed to fulfill its role of providing unbiased information to the public, instead becoming an ally of the government. The media was used to launch a range of mechanisms, including propaganda, defamation, smear campaigns, and moral panic, against activists and the opposition.
Commission’s Findings and Methods
The commission, established in April by ministers Adam Bodnar and Tomasz Siemoniak, was tasked with investigating abuses against civil society. The commission’s report highlights the ways in which the public media was used to silence and discredit activists and opposition voices. The report also details the methods used to manipulate public opinion and create a moral panic.
Criticism of Media Regulator
The report is also expected to criticize the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) for failing to perform its duties and allowing the government’s takeover of the media. The council is accused of neglecting its role in protecting the public against attacks on civil society and even justifying such actions.
Future Reports and Cooperation
The commission plans to release further reports, including ones on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) cases against activists and journalists, pressure on academia, and hate speech. The commission has already begun working with the police and other institutions to gather evidence and shed light on abuses during the PiS rule.
