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FILE - Poland's deputy prime minister and head of the ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski speaks during a news conference in Warsaw, Poland, on Feb. 22, 2022. A court in Warsaw is to open a privacy invasion case brought by Poland's most powerful politician Jaroslaw Kaczynski against a journalist who publicly alleges the leader is gay and thus exposed to political pressure. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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FILE - Poland's main ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski attends a ceremony in Warsaw, Poland, on Sept. 1, 2022. A court in Warsaw is to open a privacy invasion case brought by Poland's most powerful politician Jaroslaw Kaczynski against a journalist who publicly alleges the leader is gay and thus exposed to political pressure. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

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Jan Pinski, a journalist and social media influencer, leaves a court room in a district court in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. A court in Warsaw has opened proceedings in a defamation case brought by Poland's most powerful politician, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, against the journalist who publicly alleges the leader of the country's ruling party is gay. Kaczynski is demanding an apology and a retraction from journalist Jan Pinski. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

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A closed court session broadcasts live on a monitor in a district court in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. A court in Warsaw has opened proceedings in a defamation case brought by Poland's most powerful politician, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, against the journalist who publicly alleges the leader of the country's ruling party is gay. Kaczynski is demanding an apology and a retraction from journalist Jan Pinski. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

Polish court to hear defamation case brought by Kaczynski

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 11:25 AM ET Sep. 06, 2022

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A court in Warsaw on Tuesday opened proceedings in a defamation case brought by Poland’s most powerful politician, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, against a journalist who publicly alleges the leader is gay.

Kaczynski, the leader of Poland’s ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, was not present in the capital city's District Court, but was represented by his lawyers.

The court heard from journalist and YouTuber Jan Pinski who repeated his previous allegations. The court decided it will not hear witnesses in the case, which it adjourned indefinitely.

Kaczynski is demanding an apology and a retraction from Pinski, who made the allegations on his channel last year. He claimed that hiding his sexuality leaves Kaczynski, a 73-year-old bachelor, open to blackmail.

Kaczynski and the government run by his party have adopted a conservative and hostile approach to the LGBTQ community in Poland, and refused to allow same-sex marriage.

Kaczynski is also demanding that Pinski pay 10,000 zlotys ($2,000) to a hospice.

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