The District Prosecutor's Office in Szczecin, northwestern Poland, ordered the police to deliver the document. TV Republika broadcast the delivery live. The station's editor-in-chief and journalists refused to accept the document and discussed the matter with the officers.
Editor-in-chief Tomasz Sakiewicz accused the police of participating in what he called a coup d'état. He questioned why the broadcaster should hand over materials that could be used by police to defend themselves and suggested that National Police Chief Marek Boroń might himself face charges in the case.
The investigation concerns suspected offences against police officers and the prime minister. It relates to events outside the Constitutional Tribunal on 16 October. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński filed the notification that led to the investigation.
According to the prosecutor's description, one part of the investigation concerns alleged calls made on TV Republika for information about a female police officer's private life to be made available, followed by the public dissemination of that information without her consent in circumstances that could endanger her or people close to her.
Another part concerns news tickers and reporters' statements allegedly containing offensive and humiliating content directed at police officers while they were performing their duties, as well as at the prime minister.
The final alleged offence concerns unlawful threats made against officers securing a gathering near the Constitutional Tribunal. The threats allegedly involved initiating criminal proceedings against the officers in order to force them to refrain from carrying out their lawful official duties.
(sp)
Source: PAP