DISINFO: There is a presumption of guilt for the Russian journalists working in Poland
SUMMARY
Allegedly, a Russian correspondent was a “collector of disinformation”. It is not the first time when such ungrounded accusations have been made against Russian journalists. The Polish authorities did not present any explanation for their decision [to put a Russian journalist on a travel ban list]. They claim that this Russian journalist somehow threatened the national security of Poland, but they did not provide any specific examples of this threat. Their statements are groundless.
It turns out that there is a presumption of guilt in Poland: we call you a spy, a collector of disinformation or whatever, so now, prove your innocence yourself.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of the Kremlin's widespread narrative about Russophobic and anti-Russian Poland. The pro-Kremlin media regularly accuses the political elites of Poland of Russophobia and the implementation of anti-Russian policies.
In March 2021, the Polish Counterintelligence Service put a Russian journalist Yevgeni Reshetniev on the list of undesirable persons because he was involved in the collection of materials for the need of the Russian anti-Polish disinformation campaign.
On 15 March 2021, the Polish authorities decided to prolong the travel ban for Leonid Sviridov (a Russian journalist working in Poland before 2014). The Polish authorities decided to expel Sviridov to Russia in December 2015 because he was suspected of espionage in favour of the Russian special services (his case has been reviewed since October 2014).
The claim that the Polish decision to expel these Russian journalists is a violation of the freedom of speech or a “systemic discrimination of the Russian citizens in Poland” is not true as these two well-identified people posed a security threat to Poland. Russians living in Poland enjoy a normal life.
See other examples of similar messages claiming that Polish media promote the idea that the Russians are not people, but the “agents of the Kremlin”, Poland started another wave of Russophobic political persecution of the Russian journalists and The Polish authoritarian state may brutally attack any of its citizens for his views and opinions.