Investigative journalist Karolina Baca-Pogorzelska of the daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna received two menacing messages through an internet-based anonymous text messaging platform on January 28 and March 31, 2019, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke with CPJ.
The reporter told CPJ that she believes the texts are linked to her ongoing investigative work into business dealings in the mining and energy sectors potentially involving Polish politicians.
The first message, which Baca-Pogorzelska published on Twitter, encouraged her to drop her investigation and specifically mentioned the topic she was working on; the second read “don’t do it,” she told CPJ.
In a meeting with police on May 7, 2019, officers told Baca-Pogorzelska that “nothing will come” from an investigation into the threats because they were sent anonymously, according to Press.pl, a news website covering the Polish media. However, Warsaw police told Baca-Pogorzelska on May 9 that they have opened an investigation into the messages.
The spokesperson of the national police in Warsaw did not respond to CPJ’s email requesting comment.