Final verdict for Wojciech Olszański: what is the sentence?

In brief

Wojciech Olszański received a sentence of one year and six months of restriction of liberty in the form of unpaid community service.
The final verdict concerns the events of November 11, 2021, in Kalisz, where antisemitic slogans were shouted.
Olszański appealed the first-instance court's verdict, but the appellate court deemed the appeal unfounded.

Course of the trial and the appellate court's decision

The case of Wojciech Olszański definitively concluded in the courtroom in May 2024. That was when the Regional Court in Bydgoszcz issued a final verdict, thereby closing a months-long legal battle. The appellate body's decision upheld the previous ruling of the District Court in Kalisz.

Olszański was sentenced to one year and six months of restriction of liberty, to be served in the form of community service. The court found him guilty of inciting hatred based on nationality and religion during a high-profile demonstration that took place in Kalisz in 2021. Attempts by the defense to challenge this ruling were unsuccessful. The appeal was rejected by the court as unfounded.

For the justice system, this final word marks the end of doubts regarding the classification of the act, although the sentence of restriction of liberty itself often raises controversy in radical circles regarding its actual severity. Whether community service will effectively curb Olszański's activity or merely become a backdrop for further appearances – time will tell. What is certain is that the legal path in this specific case has been exhausted. No new circumstances have been confirmed that could influence a change in the sentence through extraordinary proceedings.

What was the verdict for? The events in Kalisz

The final verdict handed down in the case of Wojciech Olszański is the direct finale of the events of November 11, 2021. On that day, Kalisz became the scene of a gathering that went down in history not for its patriotic character, but for its scandalous course. In the heart of the city, during an organized march, the text of the Statute of Kalisz – a document symbolizing historical tolerance and legal protection for the Jewish population in Poland – was publicly burned.

The court had no doubt that the defendant's behavior went beyond the bounds of acceptable criticism or public debate. Olszański, being one of the central figures of this gathering, shouted slogans of an explicitly antisemitic nature. His words were a direct incitement to hatred based on nationality and religion. Analysis of the evidence allowed law enforcement, and subsequently the court, to conclude that these acts fully met the criteria of the crime of public incitement to hatred.

As a consequence of these actions, Wojciech Olszański was sentenced to one year and six months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service. This verdict closes a certain stage of the legal battle, yet it leaves open the question of the boundaries of free speech in the public sphere. Although the ruling is now final, the discussion over where the expression of views ends and hate speech begins remains alive and far from a final resolution in the public consciousness.

What does a sentence of restriction of liberty involve?

The verdict sentencing Wojciech Olszański to one year and six months of restriction of liberty means a specific amount of work, not isolation in a penal institution. The court did not order time in a cell, but obligated the convicted person to perform unpaid community service. This is a penal measure that, in the Polish legal system, is intended to be felt through the loss of free time, rather than through being locked behind bars.

Olszański will have to adapt his life to the schedule imposed by judicial supervision. The rules are rigorous:

The sentence consists of performing unpaid community service at a designated location indicated by the court or a probation officer.
The convicted person is obligated to work a specific number of hours per month, which must be carried out strictly within the deadlines set by the supervising body.
Failure to perform the ordered sentence or violation of its conditions carries a real risk. The court may then convert the remaining portion of the work into a prison sentence.

This mechanism is binary. If Olszański does not show up at the designated place or refuses to perform the assigned tasks, the court will convert the remaining time into days in custody. In practice, this means the convict's freedom remains illusory. It has not yet been confirmed where exactly or in what specific monthly hourly volume Olszański will begin serving his sentence. This is a technical matter that will be decided at the enforcement stage of the verdict.

What this means for you

The final verdict ends the judicial stage of this case, which means that Olszański can no longer effectively appeal this specific decision. For his supporters, it is a signal of the court's firm stance against hate speech, while for the defendant, it means the necessity of complying with the verdict under the threat of stricter sanctions.

Questions and answers

Will Wojciech Olszański go to prison?

The final verdict in this case does not provide for a prison sentence, but rather 1.5 years of community service.

Is the verdict final?

Yes, the verdict of the Regional Court in Bydgoszcz is final and concludes the appellate procedure in this case.

What happens if he does not undertake community service?

In the event of evading the work, the court may convert the restriction of liberty into a substitute prison sentence.