Clifford Chance, acting pro bono on behalf of LGBTQ Groups in Poland, has persuaded a Polish court to order the conservative Gazeta Polska newspaper to halt the distribution of "LGBT-free zone" stickers.
The Warsaw District Court ordered Gazeta Polska, a government-aligned newspaper, to stop distribution of the stickers immediately.
According to Clifford Chance, the court held that the applicant managed to substantiate the existence of his claim in the form of a violation of his personal rights: dignity, sense of security, acceptance, social belonging to minorities and the right to participate in social life, inter alia by creating a sense of threat and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The court stated that Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland establishes the requirement of equal treatment and the corresponding prohibition of any discrimination, including due to sexual orientation.
Clifford Chance Advocate Sylwia commented: “The court ruled that the publication of the 'LGBT free zone' sticker may cause far-reaching effects in the form of exclusion of the applicant and other persons belonging to the LGBT community from the public sphere, as well as further harassment and discrimination."
The Clifford Chance team was led by Partner Marcin Cieminski and Advocate Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, supported by Advocate Monika Koziel and Counsel Michal Drwal.
