A Polish court dismissed proceedings against Robert Bąkiewicz, who faced accusations including insulting law enforcement officials, stemming from incidents last year.
Charges Against Bąkiewicz Dismissed
On Tuesday, March 17th, the District Court in Słubice held a hearing regarding the dismissal of proceedings in the case of Robert Bąkiewicz. The case concerned actions outlined in an indictment submitted by the prosecutor’s office to the court in December of last year.
The court decided to dismiss the case, citing Article 17, point 1, paragraph 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which stipulates the termination of proceedings when “the act does not contain the elements of a prohibited act.” The ruling is not final.
Four Charges Initially Filed
At the end of December last year, the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gorzów Wielkopolski submitted an indictment against Robert Bąkiewicz, alleging the commission of four crimes.
Two of the charges relate to an incident on the Polish-German border on June 29th. Prosecutors alleged that Bąkiewicz insulted four Border Guard and Military Gendarmerie officers, calling them “traitors” while they were performing their duties. He also allegedly suggested they “have no honor” and “dishonor the Polish uniform,” and attempted to induce them to commit the crime of dereliction of duty.
Investigators also accused Bąkiewicz of slandering a Border Guard officer by posting an image of her on the X platform with statements that could publicly humiliate her and undermine the trust necessary to perform her service.
Allegations of Defamation and Incitement to Hatred
A third charge concerned defamation of “various groups of people” with conduct that could lower their reputation and undermine trust in their service and profession by posting on X, including statements that these groups were “selling out and betraying Poland” on July 3rd.
Furthermore, prosecutors accused Bąkiewicz of posting content on X and YouTube in July and June of last year that incited hatred based on national, ethnic, and racial differences by arousing and intensifying “a feeling of strong dislike and hostility towards people of German nationality and immigrants.” Bąkiewicz denied the charges.
Bąkiewicz Claims Political Motivation
“The pyramid of lies built against me by Donald Tusk, Marcin Kierwiński, Tomasz Siemoniak, Adam Szłapka and Waldemar Żurek has just collapsed in the court in Słubice,” Bąkiewicz wrote on X. He claimed that accusations against him were evidence of “a brutal political struggle where the state apparatus is used to attack the opposition.”
Bąkiewicz stated that he expects apologies from politicians and media outlets involved in what he described as a smear campaign, and thanked “brave judges and prosecutors” who he said chose the law over political orders. The Border Defense Movement organized a rally in support of Bąkiewicz outside the court in Słubice.
