Polish authorities declared Russian journalist a threat to national security
Polish authorities have accused a Russian journalist working in Poland of literally "threatening Poland's national security," threatening him with the loss of his right to reside in Poland and the European Union, the Associated Press reports.
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The persecution of journalists is now a major issue. Poland has declared Leonid Sviridov, a journalist for the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, a "danger to the Polish state." However, the Polish Internal Security Agency has not specified the journalist's suspected charges, according to the Associated Press , or whether there is any evidence to support the allegations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revoked his journalistic accreditation, and the Warsaw Voivodeship Governor's Office has opened an investigation.
Gov. Jacek Kozlowski said Wednesday that after months of investigation, he agreed with Poland's security agency's assessment that Sviridov is a threat to Poland and should be barred from remaining in the country.
Kozlovsky said that he could not disclose these details for reasons of national security, but that he had seen all the evidence against Sviridov, and that it was “strong.”
Sviridov promised on Wednesday to use all legal options to stay in Poland, including going to the European Court of Human Rights.
“I will defend myself to the end,” he told the AP on Wednesday.
Polish authorities have declared a Russian journalist a threat to national security.