In a recent court ruling, Anna Michalska, the former spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard, has emerged victorious in a defamation case brought against her by well-known activist “Człowiek Lasu” (Bushman – ed.). The activist, whose real name is Mariusz Kurnyta, is a figure associated with the Podlaskie Volunteer Humanitarian Rescue and has been widely recognized by the media for his alleged efforts in aiding migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border.
Kurnyta filed the lawsuit against Michalska, alleging that her public communications defamed him. However, the court dismissed the case without proceeding to a full trial. According to Michalska’s defense attorney, Krzysztof Wąsowski, the court found no grounds for defamation based solely on the private indictment filed by Kurnyta.
“The proceedings were dismissed. The court did not identify any defamation and did not even conduct a trial. Based on the private indictment alone, the court determined that there were no grounds to consider a defamation case. The statements issued by the former spokesperson did not directly refer to Człowiek Lasu but merely informed the public about the situation at the border,” explained Wąsowski to Niezalezna.pl.
The controversy stemmed from reports issued by the Border Guard regarding the condition of migrants found at the border. Activists, including Kurnyta, had argued that urgent action was needed to save a suffering individual found at the border. However, the individual in question, a Somali national, was found to be in good health. Kurnyta felt personally targeted by the Border Guard’s communications, which he claimed were defamatory.
“The Somali citizen found by the Border Guard was in good health. Człowiek Lasu felt offended by these statements, believing they were directed at him, thus alleging defamation. In reality, the statements were merely factual updates on the situation. The Warsaw District Court did not accept the impassioned appeal from the other side,” Wąsowski continued.