Verdict reached in Margot case. Defense team sought acquittal
A verdict has been achieved in the case of the destruction of the so-called "homopho-bus" of the Pro–Prawo do życia Foundation and the attack on its activists. The defendants were three LGBT+ activists from the Stop bzdurom (English: Cut the Crap) collective, including Małgorzata Sz., known as Margot.
The case concerns events in June 2020 in front of a squat on Wilcza Street in Warsaw. A truck of the Pro–Prawo do życia Foundation was driving along the road bearing inscriptions targeting the LGBT+ community. The van, described as a "homopho-bus", was stopped by activists who damaged the vehicle.
Related
- Polish Supreme Court rules against Kaja Godek in landmark case
- Uganda to stop receiving money from World Bank. New lending halted over anti-LGBTQ law
- Brazil: up to five years in prison for homophobia
- Another ‘homopho-bus’ driver convicted. This time in Częstochowa
- Up to 15 years in jail: Iraq criminalises same-sex relations
In May, the Warsaw Downtown District Court handed down a verdict. The three activists were convicted of participating in a rally and damaging the truck. Margot received a sentence of one year of restriction of liberty with an obligation to perform unpaid community service of 30 hours per month.
The case of Margot and the attack on the "homopho-bus"
Zuzanna M. was sentenced to six months of restricted liberty and was required to perform 30 hours of unpaid community service per month. Additionally, Margot and Paweł Sz. were ordered to pay the foundation over PLN 6,000 to repair the damage. The court also mandated that the activists pay a sum of PLN 5,000 and PLN 3,000, respectively, to individuals who felt attacked.
Verdict in the high-profile Margot case
The activists appealed the sentence passed by the District Court of Warsaw, which found them all guilty of destroying the truck during the confluence. However, the court mitigated the sentence.
Margot has been sentenced to four months of restriction of liberty, during which she is obligated to perform unpaid community service for 20 hours each month. Similarly, Paweł Sz. has also been sentenced to three months of restriction of liberty and is required to perform 20 hours of unpaid community service per month. On the other hand, Zuzanna M. has received a conditional discontinuance of proceedings for a probationary period of one year. Furthermore, she has been instructed to pay PLN 500 to the Fund for Wronged Persons and Post-Penitentiary Aid (Polish: Fundusz Pomocy Pokrzywdzonym oraz Pomocy Postpenitencjarnej), as reported by Rzeczpospolita.
"I am disappointed with the verdict; I believe that all three persons should have been acquitted," Karolina Gierdal, counsel for one of the accused, told Gazeta Wyborcza.
Source: Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta Wyborcza
More about #MyImpact
- Warsaw included on The Economist’s list of world’s most liveable cities in 2024
- Member of LGBT+ community pleads for Poland’s head of diplomacy Radosław Sikorski’s help
- Poznan's officials promise of help after tragic fire goes unfulfilled, victims' pleas ignored
- Father of a 3-year-old child on the spectrum struggles with misunderstanding