The trial of Fr. Olszewski and the officials is starting in a Warsaw court. Republika is calling for their support and attendance at the hearing on January 21. “Poland, when it comes to the rule of law, does not exist. A state without a solidly and efficiently functioning judiciary ceases to be a state in the full sense of the word”, commented on TV Republika Prof. Przemysław Czarnek on the current state of the Polish judiciary in the face of chaotic trials and annulled verdicts.
On Wednesday, January 21, at 10:00 a.m., the trial of Fr. Michał Olszewski, the officials – Ms. Karolina and Ms. Urszula – and three other defendants will begin at the District Court in Warsaw at Al. Solidarności 127 (room 203).
Let’s support them together!
Both the portal Niezalezna.pl and TV Republika will provide live coverage of the trial. The station encourages everyone to be present in the courtroom and outside the court during the trial.
The trial is to be public. According to the Code of Criminal Procedure (art. 356 par. 1), “in addition to the persons participating in the proceedings, only adult, unarmed persons may be present at the trial”. Even if the trial’s public access is restricted, a small audience may be allowed in the courtroom. Attendance at a public trial does not require prior permission; it is enough to come and bring an ID card. In cases of restricted access, the presiding judge may allow certain individuals to be present.
Prof. Przemysław Czarnek on TV Republika addressed the fact that the case against the defendants related to the Justice Fund is to proceed despite formal shortcomings (jurors were engaged at the last minute), while trials of mafia criminals remain stalled.
“Poland, when it comes to the rule of law, does not exist. A state without a solidly and efficiently functioning judiciary ceases to be a state in the full sense of the word”, emphasized the PiS deputy. “How can we assess a situation in which the trials of the most violent criminals are stalled, while a priest is being tried simply because he used a government grant and built a center that helps victims of crimes”, explained the guest of the program Michał Rachoń.
“Absurd follows absurd. Everything is upside down, and as long as Żurek is Minister of Justice, and Tusk is Prime Minister, Poland in terms of internal security, which also depends on a solidly functioning judiciary, will cease to exist,” summarized Prof. Czarnek.