Maja Czarnica, AFP journalist in Warsaw, reporter Ulrich and photographer Andreas, on Tuesday, 28 September, headed to the vicinity of the Polish-Belarus border.
– We drove to some asphalt roads. We had no coverage on the phone, so we had no idea where the route was and how far away we were from the Osnards Gurney. The PSA came, and we stopped to see if we could make a copy. Then we found out that we were in the area and had to leave – Maja Czarnecka says in an interview with “Gazeta Wyborcza” that they had no intention of entering the area.
Foreign journalist: I had a feeling of regression
When the reporters were informed of this fact, they immediately returned, wanting to get out of the area they had ended up inadvertently. But on their return, they encounter a police patrol. As it turns out, they weren’t excited to hear the translations.
– We wanted to ask what to do, because the border guards sent us here. But this policeman did not listen and was summoned further. I had a feeling of being held back – we couldn’t go back, we couldn’t move on – says Ulrich Dassler.
Podlasie police spokesman Tomas Krupa said in an interview with “Gazeta Wyborcza” that the journalists were in an area where they should not be and did not have the appropriate permits. “It is not a question of whether or not you believe them, it is up to the court to decide,” he added.
Ulrike and Andreas are brought to court in handcuffs
As it turned out, despite the identification and confirmation of identity, the journalists were held for 48 hours. All their equipment was taken from them, the car was towed away, and they were taken to the police station in Sokochka, where they were imprisoned in their cells. They spent the whole day there.
The next day, this afternoon, the journalists were taken to the District Court in Sokochka, where the police request to punish each of them with a fine of 2,000 PLN was examined. zloty. Ulrike and Andreas were brought to court, handcuffed.
A Budlasie police spokesman explained that imposing the handcuffs restrictions “was about their personal safety, but also that of the officers.” The journalists pleaded their innocence, but the court found it. As we read in “Gazeta Wyborcza”, however, they used an unusual amount of leniency – journalists were punished with reprimands.
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Source: “Gazeta Wyborcza”
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