Oświadczenie dla prasy - Opolskie Stowarzyszenie Pamięci Narodowej
Słowa te wypowiedział 10 października 2010 roku na konferencji prasowej zorganizowanej przez OSPN i posła PiS Sławomira Kłosowskiego z powodu wcześniejszych publikacji w opolskim dodatku Gazety Wyborczej, która dopuściła się obelżywych insynuacji wobec Antoniego Kluska przypisując mu niegodziwe intencje wykorzystywania dla celów politycznych śmierci swojego brata Jana Klusika pobitego w sierpniu 2010 roku w czasie obrony “Krzyża Pamięci” na Krakowskim Przedmieściu w Warszawie.
Rozprawa przeciwko Antoniemu Klusikowi toczyć się będzie w dniu 3 marca 2011 roku o godzinie 8:30 przed Sądem Okręgowym w Opolu przy Pl. I.Daszyńskiego.
W sytuacji, gdy wielki koncern prasowy występuje przeciwko obywatelowi istnieje obawa o naruszenie podstawowej wolności obywatelskiej, jaką jest wolność słowa i obawa o dyskryminującą przewagę nad obywatelem. Dlatego zapraszamy w charakterze obserwatorów wszystkie media, zwłaszcza te, tradycyjnie należące do wolnego świata, by zagwarantować prawdziwy i obiektywny przekaz z sali sądowej.
Prezes OSPN Jerzy Łysiak
Sekretarz OSPN Wiesław Ukleja
We would like to inform you of a date of a lawsuit that Agora company has filed against Antoni Klusik, the member of Opole Association of National Memory. He is sued for the alleged violation of Gazeta Wyborcza’s personal rights for calling the newspaper “criminal organisation, hostile to our civilisation”, the words he expressed on the 10th of October 2010 during press conference held by Sławomir Kłosowski, the Law and Justice (PiS) Member of Parliament, and Opole Association of National Memory.
It was his response to previous publications in Opole supplement to Gazeta Wyborcza which made insulting insinuations about Mr. Klusik by accusing him of the most vile intentions of taking advantage of his brother’s death for political means. Jan Klusik was severely beaten on August 2010 in defence of the Smolensk memorial cross at the Presidential Palace.
The trial against Mr. Antoni Klusik will begin on the 3rd of March 2011, at 8:30 in the morning, in the district court of Opole at I. Daszyński square.
The situation in which a powerful press corporation such as Agora comes out against a private citizen raises serious concerns over a violation of basic national rights such as freedom of speech and exposes the company’s discriminatory and superior position over a citizen.
Therefore we kindly invite all the mass media, especially those independent of government or corporate influences, to participate in the trial and serve as objective observers and guarantee an authentic and faithful report from the courtroom.
President of Opole Association of National Memory Jerzy Łysiak
Secretary of Opole Association of National Memory Wiesław Ukleja
Editorial Comment
Freedom to oppress
Since the fall of the iron curtain the people of eastern Europe have taken advantage of their new found freedoms. Especially in Poland where even under the communist regime the people's propensity for speaking out could not be suppressed. How ironic that the latest assault on freedom of speech in Poland comes not from a dictatorial regime but the “free” press. As it happens the country's larges media organization wants to put general population under it's editorial thumb. By making any form of criticism against it punishable in court of law. On the 3rd day of March 2011 at 8:30 am, the Polish court in the city of Opole, will be hearing a case in which the largest media organization in the country is suing a private citizen for libel.The case involves a Mr. Antoni Klusik who spoke critically of the media giant at a press conference after being accused by said media of attempting to exploit the death of his brother for political gain.
It will certainly be interesting to find out how much international media attention this trial will receive.
The ramifications of the outcome cannot be overstated as Poland is a part of the European union if is appealed to higher court the precedent of this case and others like it will ultimately have a major impact on the European union as whole.
Fred Everyman
