The planned protest scheduled for Thursday, January 11, is anticipated as the launching point for a significant PiS offensive. The party aims to mobilize citizens onto the streets, advocating for demonstrations “in defence of the constitution and the rule of law” in various cities across Poland.
Kamiński and Wąsik Challenge Conviction Despite Duda’s Clemency, Sparking Supreme Court Appeal and Parliamentary Dispute
The arrest of Kamiński and Wąsik stems from their December conviction for their involvement in the so-called “land scandal,” despite President Duda granting them clemency in 2015, albeit after a non-binding court verdict. Legal disputes surrounding the timing of the pardon add a contentious layer to the unfolding narrative.
In defiance of both the court’s verdict and the parliamentary decision to revoke their mandates by Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, Kamiński and Wąsik have appealed to the Supreme Court. The Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs ruled in their favour.
Grażyna Ignaczak-Bandych, the head of the Presidential Chancellery, disclosed that officers entered the palace in the absence of the president, who had left for a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at Belweder.
Rising Tensions: Protesters Condemn Arrests of PiS Politicians Kamiński and Wąsik, as Kaczyński Labels Them ‘First Political Prisoners Since 1989’
Protesters gathered outside the Presidential Palace to express their discontent over the arrest of Kamiński and Wąsik. The demonstration extended to the police station and later to the detention centre. Jarosław Kaczyński, PiS party leader, addressed the crowd at the detention centre, condemning the situation as an “unprecedented scandal” and labelling Kamiński and Wąsik as the “first political prisoners since 1989.”
As tensions escalate, the upcoming protest on January 11 is poised to be a pivotal moment, with PiS supporters and opposition factions preparing to make their voices heard in what promises to be a significant display of political discontent nationwide.