President <PERSON>’s Controversial Pardon Has Not Put Poles in a Forgiving Mood · Global Voices
Polish lawyer and politician <PERSON> assumed the office of President in August 2015. Photo by <PERSON>, September 12, 2013. CC 2.0.
Earlier this month, just a day after the new Polish government was sworn in, President <PERSON> made the controversial decision to pardon <PERSON>, a member of <PERSON>'s former party, Law and Justice.
<PERSON> was convicted of abusing his powers as head of Poland's Central Anticorruption Bureau, where he served until 2009, during which time the Law and Justice party controlled the Polish government. Before his pardon, <PERSON>'s sentence had not yet entered force, as he was awaiting an appeal trial.
Although the conviction itself was seen as controversial and some considered it a political move made by the previous government (controlled by rivals in Civic Platform), many say <PERSON>'s decision to pardon <PERSON> is surprising and possibly inappropriate. Had <PERSON> lost his appeal, he would have been barred from holding public office ever again, and he may have been sent to prison for many years. <PERSON> currently serves as the head of special services in Poland's new government.
Polish social media users soon voiced their opinions on Twitter. <PERSON> wrote:
Przypominam, że ułaskawienie potwierdza wyrok. 1017
Od dziś o zainteresowanym można pisać per “przestępca”
— <PERSON> (@konradniklewicz) November 17, 2015
I want to remind you all that the pardon confirms the ruling. From now on we can call the person in question “guilty”
<PERSON> also commented on Twitter:
PAD to chyba zrobił Kamińskiemu krzywdę, bo ułaskawienie nie jest uniewinnieniem. Nie wiąże się z zatarciem. Nie znam się ale to głupie
— <PERSON> (@FilipLachert) November 17, 2015
I think that PAD [President <PERSON>] did a disservice to <PERSON>, because the amnesty doesn't mean “not guilty.” It doesn't equal an erasure of conviction. I'm not an expert but I think it was stupid.
Another Twitter user, <PERSON>, compared pardons issued by Poland's current and past presidents. As depicted in the picture attached to the tweet, <PERSON>'s pardon was suspiciously just a single sentence long.
Tak na obrazkach wygląda ułaskawienie normalne i ułaskawienie nienormalne: pic.twitter.com/EGi7CXfGBF
— <PERSON> (@aronsem) November 20, 2015
On the attached pictures it can be seen how a normal act of pardon looks like, and how a not normal one looks
<PERSON> also wrote about the pardon:
Po to głosowałam na PiS i prezydenta <PERSON> by w moim imieniu ZAWŁASZCZYLI wreszcie państwo , wyrywając je z rąk złodziei i zdrajców
— <PERSON> (@ISzafranska) November 19, 2015
This is why I voted for PiS [Law and Justice] and the Presient <PERSON>, so that they could reclaim the nation and pull it out of the hands of thieves and traitors
Several members of the public complained that <PERSON> has compromised the presidency's impartiality and duty to represent the interests of the nation by indulging in partisan politics. While it's not illegal for the president to pardon a former colleague, <PERSON>'s decision has invited criticisms that he's violated the spirit of his obligations as Poland's leader.
Already divided after the elections, Polish citizens continued to be disagree about <PERSON>'s actions.
Popular blogger and Twitter user <PERSON> posted:
Coś czuję, że jak będzie za duży jazgot wokół tego ułaskawienia to wkrótce wypłynie jakieś nieznane do tej pory ułaskawienie poprzednika. 1017