Polish court finds recent Walesa biography slanderous, orders publisher’s apology

Court finds recent Walesa biography slanderous

WARSAW, Poland — A Polish court says a biography of former President Lech Walesa is slanderous and has fined the publisher and ordered it to apologize.

The Krakow court ruled Friday that allegations in the 2009 biography “Lech Walesa: The Idea and History” by Pawel Zyzak that Walesa served as a communist informant were slanderous. A 2000 special court already cleared Walesa of collaboration allegations.

The court says publisher Arcana must apologize to Walesa’s daughter, who brought the suit, and pay a 5,000 zlotys ($1,800) fine to a charity.

The slanderous passages must also be removed in future editions.

Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his leadership of Poland’s anti-communist Solidarity movement. He served as the nation’s president in 1990-95.