In a significant reversal, Agata Grzybowska, an award-winning Polish photojournalist previously convicted of assaulting a police officer during the 2020 abortion protests, has been acquitted on appeal.

Respected Brussels correspondent for Polsat, Dorota Bawolek, is now facing a smear campaign and death threats.

CFWIJ welcomes the decision of the President of Poland to veto a bill that has blocked any non-European outlet from owning a 50% share or more in a Polish broadcaster.

Reporter for Gazeta Wyborcza Katarzyna Włodkowsk faces a potential 30 day prison sentence if she refuses to reveal the name of her source.

Agnieszka Kaszuba, a reporter for the daily newspaper Fakt, was briefly detained along with her team when she was following a bus carrying migrants near the Polish-Belarusian border. The journalist was reporting about the arrest of migrants on the frontier. Police held Agnieszka and her team for about an hour and searched their car. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) denounces the obstruction against journalists. We extend our solidarity with Agnieszka.

Prominent journalist and editor-in-chief of women’s magazine Wysokie Obcasy, Aleksandra Klich-Siewiorek, is under investigation in the public prosecutor’s office. The journalist is accused of violating religious sentiments in one of her published articles. The magazine is under fire for publishing a cartoon of the Virgin Mary wearing a lightning bolt face mask as a symbol of resistance and empowerment against the restrictions on reproductive rights in Poland. CFWIJ is observing the situation as it unfolds. We urge the authorities at the public prosecutor’s office in Poland to end the Aleksandra unjustifiably.

Polish journalist Dorota Nygren was wrongfully dismissed by the director of Information Agency Radio, Paweł Piszczek. Dorota was fired for not revealing sensitive details about the subject of her story. When the journalist refused to identify the key details requested by Pawel Piszczek, she was threatened with dismissal. We are alarmed by the unethical behaviour of the Information Agency director. As a news organization, Information Agency Radio should respect a journalist’s integrity. The Coalition For Women In Journalism commends and supports journalist Dorota Nygren for refusing to reveal the discriminatory information in her report.

On November 17, 2020, two criminal charges were filed against Gazeta Wyborcza reporter Angelika Pitoń. The charges stem from a demonstration in the southern town of Zakopane on November 6, as part of the nationwide Women's March. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns these infringements against journalists and demands Polish authorities to end the intimidation of the press.

Agata Grzybowska, a photojournalist for RATS agency, was detained while covering a recent protest in the capital city. The demonstration was in protest of the restrictive abortion law, calling for the resignation of Minister of Education, Przemysław Czarnek. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) observes with great concern an evident surge in police violence used against the participants and the press in Poland. Agata Grzybowska was detained, forced into a police van and taken to a police station, despite showing her press card to the officers. CFWIJ is alarmed by the disrespectful and aggressive behavior towards the journalist and urges the authorities to ensure that press freedom in Poland is respected.

Journalist of the Polish edition of Newsweek, Renata Kim, was attacked by police officers while covering a march commemorating Polish Independence Day in the capital city. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns such despicable acts of violence against the press and calls upon the authorities to establish consequences for this unacceptable behaviour.

Gazeta Wyborcza reporters Magda Kozioł and Joanna Urbańska-Jaworska were assaulted at the women’s rallies across Poland. Reporters were taken to the hospital after suffering minor injuries. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is devastated by the recent attacks against journalists and calls on Polish authorities to ensure the safety of journalists who are covering the rallies.