Hołownia about Duda's decision regarding the anti -hate act: Who are you defending?

Sejm Marshal Szymon Hołownia said on Friday that he sees a “huge dose of hypocrisy” in the president's decision to refer to the Constitutional Tribunal amendment to hate speech. In his opinion, Andrzej Duda should have been intervened when the project was still at the stage of parliamentary work.

On Thursday, the presidential office announced that Andrzej Duda sent to the Constitutional Tribunal – in preventive control mode – an amendment to the Penal Code, which extends the catalog of hate crimes by four new premises: age, sex, disability and sexual orientation. The project was prepared by the Ministry of Justice; In March, the novel was adopted by the Sejm.

Duda's decision was asked on Friday at a press conference of the Sejm Marshal, the third way candidate for president Szymon Hołownia. As he said, he sees in this decision “a huge dose of hypocrisy”. “This is a bad decision, the president's silly decision,” he assessed.

“It just so happens that the laws are adopted by the legislative authority – the Sejm and the Senate – not the president,” said the marshal. “I cordially recommend the President next time, before making such decisions, a conversation with those whom he has affected (…). Let him talk to the parents of those children who hate the life on the Internet, which led to suicide attempts and let him not tell the farmazon about what is +legal bubel +” – said Hołownia.

In his opinion, if the president “today had the good of those that the act is about”, he would join the process of work on it, when her project was still at the parliamentary stage “and the entire strong office of Minister Małgorzata Paprocka (head of the KPRP – note of PAP) and all of all specialists, save – in his opinion – this act.” “Then there was time to react,” he added.

“Every politician today should ask for such decisions one simple question: who are you defending Polish children who are hatred and this reason sometimes stand on the edge of life and death? People who, because of hate on the Internet, have destroyed life today? Do great corporations or some candidates who tell Farmazones about the fact that +if I am not allowed to offend you on the internet, challenge the worst and wish you all the worst. The family means that my freedom of speech will be limited+” – said the marshal.

The published justification for the application to the Constitutional Tribunal shows that – according to the president – there are doubts whether the amendment to the Penal Code is in accordance with the constitutional principle of specificity of law. According to Duda, it lacks “axiological consistency”, and the contested provisions also raise doubts from the point of view of the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression. The justification says, among others “Limiting freedom of expression resulting from the introduced amendment may have very important social effects, in particular from the point of view of public debate and inhibit its development, which is why those who use this freedom may have doubts where their right ends, and where he begins responsibility for committing a criminal act.”

The head of the Chancellery of President Małgorzata Paprocka said on Thursday at Polsat News that the amendment raises “very serious doubts as to the compliance with the constitution.” “If the laws are written badly and trying to impose ideology with penalty laws (…), the president had no choice” – added Paprocka. (PAP)

nl/ ero/ sdd/