The lower house of the Polish parliament approved a bill Friday that prescribes prison time for defaming the Polish nation by using phrases such as "Polish death camps" to refer to the killing sites Nazi Germany operated in occupied Poland during World War II. The bill passed Friday is a response to cases in recent years of foreign media using "Polish death camps" to describe Auschwitz and other Nazi-run camps. Former U.S. President Barack Obama used it in 2012, prompting outrage in Poland. Many Poles fear such phrasing makes some people, especially younger generations, incorrectly conclude that Poles had a role in running the camps. While the law contains a provision excluding scholarly or academic works, opponents still see a danger.

Source: ABC News January 26, 2018 15:08 UTC