Ringier Axel Springer Polska Faces Lawsuit for Over PLN 54 million

(IN BRIEF) A lawsuit has been filed against Ringier Axel Springer Polska (RASP) by entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Szustkowski, demanding over PLN 54 million in penalties for RASP’s failure to honor a 2020 Settlement Agreement. The settlement, stemming from a Polish court ruling, required RASP to permanently remove publications that had defamed Szustkowski between 2016 and 2018. RASP’s refusal to comply led to the lawsuit, which may become one of Poland’s largest financial claims in personal rights violations. The defamatory publications, which linked Szustkowski to Russia, caused significant personal and professional harm, including health issues, the closure of his charity, and social exclusion. Despite the 2020 settlement’s intention to rectify the damage, the articles remain in circulation. The lawsuit seeks compensation and highlights the need for greater publisher accountability in content accuracy.

(PRESS RELEASE) WARSAW, 2-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A lawsuit has been filed against Ringier Axel Springer Polska (RASP) in the Polish courts*, claiming a payment of over PLN 54 million. The lawsuit stems from RASP’s refusal to pay a contractual penalty due to delays in fulfilling the terms of a Settlement Agreement signed by the Publisher in 2020 with Robert Szustkowski.

In August of this year, entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Szustkowski demanded that RASP (publisher of Newsweek Polska, Onet, and Fakt) pay a contractual penalty amounting to over PLN 50 million. This demand was a consequence of RASP’s failure to fulfill the terms of a bilateral Settlement Agreement from 2020, in which the Publisher committed to permanently removing publications that violated Robert Szustkowski’s dignity and good name between 2016 and 2018. Due to RASP’s refusal to pay the penalty, the matter was ultimately brought before the court. The case is being handled by Attorney Elżbieta Kosińska-Kozak from the law firm Dubois & Partners.

Considering previous rulings and cases before the Polish judiciary, the claim for the payment of over PLN 54 million in penalties directly resulting from the terms of the Settlement Agreement may prove to be the largest financial claim in the history of personal rights violations cases in Poland.

The Settlement Agreement, signed in October 2020, was a consequence of a favorable ruling for Robert Szustkowski by the Polish courts, which confirmed that his personal rights—namely, his good name and dignity—had been violated by the publication of false and unverified information in various RASP media outlets. The bilateral Settlement was intended to resolve a legal dispute that had been ongoing since 2017, triggered by a series of articles published by RASP journalists who systematically attempted to undermine Szustkowski’s credibility. The publications, full of insinuations and suggestions regarding alleged unclear ties between the businessman and Russia, gradually escalated into media attacks and social ostracism.

The 2020 Settlement was intended to remove the effects of the violation of Szustkowski’s personal rights and to prevent further violations. However, this has not occurred, as the original articles published by RASP are still being circulated in the media, including within RASP itself. “Had Ringier Axel Springer Polska properly implemented the 2020 Settlement by permanently removing the effects of the violation of my personal rights, as well as honoring its guarantee to prevent further violations, my reputation would not have been completely ruined,” emphasizes Robert Szustkowski.

The defamatory media materials published over the years in numerous RASP titles have solidified the negative image of Robert Szustkowski as a Russian influence agent—a particularly damaging accusation in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The consequences of these defamatory claims have included, among other things, the need to withdraw investments from Poland, the closure of his charitable foundation, exclusion from social life, health problems, and the need to protect the safety of himself and his family. Szustkowski’s son is also currently facing the repercussions of these false allegations regarding ties to Russia, significantly affecting his personal and professional life.

The purpose of the Settlement with RASP was not only to obtain an apology and payment of an agreed amount to charity but also to limit the scale of violations of Szustkowski’s personal rights and to increase the responsibility of publishers for the accuracy of the content they publish. Other publishers have also entered settlements with Robert Szustkowski or published corrections regarding the violations of his personal rights concerning alleged, unclear ties to Russia.

Pacta sunt servanda.

*The lawsuit was filed with the Polish courts on December 19, 2024.

Media contact:
Robert Szustkowski – Press Office
media@szustkowski.ch
+48 792356056

Website:

FAQs

1. What is the lawsuit against Ringier Axel Springer Polska (RASP) about?

The lawsuit, filed by Robert Szustkowski, seeks over PLN 54 million in penalties for RASP’s failure to comply with the terms of a 2020 Settlement Agreement. The agreement required RASP to permanently remove defamatory publications that violated Szustkowski’s personal rights, but RASP has not adhered to it.

2. Why was the 2020 Settlement Agreement signed?

The 2020 Settlement Agreement was the result of a court ruling in favor of Robert Szustkowski, confirming that his personal rights, particularly his dignity and good name, were violated by false and unverified information published in RASP media outlets between 2016 and 2018.

3. What consequences did Robert Szustkowski face due to the defamatory publications?

The defamatory articles painted Szustkowski as a Russian influence agent, causing significant personal and professional harm, including health issues, social exclusion, the closure of his charitable foundation, and the need to withdraw investments from Poland.

4. Why did Robert Szustkowski file a lawsuit against RASP?

Szustkowski filed the lawsuit because RASP failed to comply with the Settlement Agreement by not removing the defamatory articles as promised. The media outlets continued to circulate the damaging content, further harming Szustkowski’s reputation.

5. What is the financial claim in the lawsuit?

The lawsuit claims over PLN 54 million in penalties, which is the largest financial claim for personal rights violations in Poland’s legal history.

6. What does Szustkowski hope to achieve through this lawsuit?

Szustkowski seeks to obtain compensation for the damage to his reputation and to hold RASP accountable for its failure to honor the Settlement Agreement. The lawsuit also aims to highlight the need for publishers to take responsibility for the accuracy of the content they publish.

7. How has the defamatory content affected Szustkowski’s family?

The defamatory publications have not only harmed Robert Szustkowski but also affected his family, including his son, who has faced personal and professional repercussions due to the false allegations.

8. What other steps have been taken by other publishers regarding similar violations?

Other publishers have either entered settlements with Robert Szustkowski or published corrections regarding similar personal rights violations, particularly related to false claims of ties between Szustkowski and Russia.

SOURCE: Robert Szustkowski Press Office