Poland amends Holocaust law after international outcry

Legislation made it a criminal offence to
accuse the Polish state of complicity in Nazi war crimes

One-Minute Read

The legislation, introduced by the country’s right-wing
governing party earlier this year, also prohibited people from
describing Nazi death camps in Poland as Polish.

Those who broke the law faced hefty fines and up to three years
imprisonment.

The move angered Holocaust survivors, triggered protests outside
Polish embassies and led to fierce condemnation from leaders in
Israel, Europe and the US.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the most
vocal opponents of the law, describing it as an attempt to
whitewash history.

“The outcry was so swift and intense that even Polish lawmakers
themselves appeared surprised,” the Washington Post reports.

In response, an amendment to the law was backed by the lower
house of parliament during an emergency session on Wednesday and
will now move to the Senate.

The move was a clear attempt to repair diplomatic relations with
the US, says the BBC’s Adam Easton. “Warsaw has enough problems in
Europe thanks to its dispute with the EU over reforms to the Polish
judiciary, so it does not want to fight another front with
Washington,” he says.

Although the unexpected U-turn has been welcomed by groups
including the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center, some
critics argue that it has not gone far enough.  

“The false attribution to Poles of Nazi crimes will remain a
civil offence, with Polish courts able to administer fines,”
The Guardian reports.