Karol Nawrocki – a presidential candidate supported by the Law and Justice party (PiS) – has filed a civil lawsuit for the protection of personal rights and a private criminal complaint against Onet with the District Court in Warsaw, PiS MP Andrzej Śliwka reported.
According to Onet, Nawrocki was allegedly involved in the practice of procuring prostitutes for guests of the Grand Hotel in Sopot while he was employed there as a security guard.
The civil suit and criminal complaint were submitted to the court by Nawrocki’s legal representatives, as announced by MP Śliwka, who emphasized that the article published on the Onet portal—as well as subsequent media coverage—“had little to do with journalistic integrity and much more with slander and lies.”
On Monday, the Onet portal reported that the PiS-endorsed presidential candidate “participated in the procurement of prostitutes for guests of the Grand Hotel in Sopot while working there as a security guard.” “This is according to his former security colleagues, whom Onet interviewed,” the report stated. “Due to concerns for their personal safety, our sources wish to remain anonymous. However, they take responsibility for their statements—they declare they are prepared to testify in court,” the article added.
Nawrocki announced that he would sue Onet in civil court for violation of personal rights and file a private criminal complaint for what he described as a “pack of lies and hatred.” Politicians affiliated with the ruling coalition, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk, have said that Nawrocki should take legal action under the election law procedure.
According to the Electoral Code, a candidate has the right to file a petition with the district court for a ruling if distributed election materials contain false information; such a petition is reviewed by the district court in non-litigious proceedings within 24 hours. The court may issue a ruling, for example, prohibiting dissemination and/or ordering a correction.