Will journalists answer for racist comments?

Alert DateJune 5, 2012 Country: Poland General Type: Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Afrophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Africans/black people Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Media Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: TV Media
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Polish, Ukrainian
Victims Gender Male, Female
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number 2
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Polish
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age N/A
Perpetrators Number 2
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

 

Two Polish well-known presenters of one of the radio stations may bear severe consequences for their racist jokes about Ukrainian women working in Poland and Alvin Gajadhur, a spokesman of General Inspectorate of Road Transport, a Pole of African origin. Gajadhur lodged a complaint to the Media Ethics Commission and the National Broadcasting Council which confirmed that a drastic demonstration of xenophobia took place and the presenters offended Gajadhur with racist statements. The journalists have also heard the prosecutor's charges and have been threatened with up to 3 years of imprisonment. Nevertheless, they still behaved in an offending manner towards the Ukrainians during the programme emitted in June 2012 after the match played by Ukraine at the EURO 2012. In order to mock at some Poles' attitude to Ukrainian women, they used, among others, the following expression: “If mine [Ukrainian woman] was just a little prettier, I would at least rape her”, which was considered “blatant rudeness” by the public opinion. The prosecutor levelled the charges against both journalists for the insult for ethnic reasons [1&2]. 

Sources:

  1. Gazeta Prawna, 11.04.2012, Znany prezenter Jakub W. usłyszał zarzuty za rasistowskie wypowiedzi (The well-known presenter Jacob W. accussed for the racist statements), http://www.gazetaprawna.pl/wiadomosci/artykuly/609472,znany_prezenter_jakub_w_uslyszal_zarzuty_za_rasistowskie_wypowiedzi.html, Accessed on 12.12.2012.
  2. wPolityce.pl, 22.06.2012, Audycja Figurskiego i Wojewódzkiego pod lupą prokuratury. Śledczy sprawdzą czy doszło do znieważenia Ukraińców (The public prosecutor's office interested in Figurski and Wojewodzki programme. The investigating officers are checking whether the Ukrainians have been insulted), http://wpolityce.pl/wydarzenia/30977-audycja-figurskiego-i-wojewodzkiego-pod-lupa-prokuratury-sledczy-sprawdza-czy-doszlo-do-zniewazenia-ukraincow, Accessed on 12.12.2012.