Police officers in Poland sometimes use torture against detainees and witnesses, the Commissioner for Human Rights recently reminded the public. He added that such a case had also occurred in Bolesławiec. The Commissioner for Human Rights’ Adam Bodnar extensive report analyzing court-confirmed cases of torture was presented to journalists on April 19. The cases identified in it also concern Lower Silesia—cases from Bolesławiec (more precisely: Kliczków and Osiecznica) and Wrocław.

The incident described in an email we received from the Commissioner for Human Rights’ office occurred on the night of August 14–15, 2010, in Osiecznica. (It was shortly after the Blues nad Bobrem Festival, which was held at Kliczków Castle at the time).

The violence and abuse affected, among others, a man who went to the concert with his wife and, because of the long queue for the toilets, relieved himself in the bushes. He was beaten (including with a baton for many hours), exposed to gas, strangled, and forced to accept a penalty notice with deferred payment. Here is the prosecutor’s version, confirmed by the court (abridged by the editorial staff):

Police officers (Iksiński and Igrekowski) wanted to check the victims’ identities. They had no documents with them, so they were taken to a police car parked outside the castle grounds (in order to go to the police station).

By the police car, Zetowski (one of the victims) was struck in the face by Iksiński and knocked to the ground by Igrekowski. He was then sprayed in the face with gas and punched in the head and back.

He was then handcuffed and laid on the ground, while officer Igrekowski beat him on the back and thighs with a baton. At the same time, Zetowski tried to record the incident with a mobile phone, but the phone was snatched from him. [...] Iksiński sprayed him in the face with gas, struck him over the kidney with a baton, and threw him into the back of the police car, into the so-called cage.

After a while, Abecowski was thrown in there as well. Gas was released into the cage and the police car drove toward the police station. There, Zetowski was seated on a chair in one of the rooms, and both police officers tried to force him to accept the penalty notice and give specific explanations by hitting his thighs with a service baton, striking him in the face with their hands, and choking him by squeezing his larynx with a hand.

Abecowski was then brought into the room. The officers also tried to force him to admit to committing an offense and accept the penalty notice, beating him on the thighs and body with a baton. As a result of pain and fear, he relieved himself, then admitted to committing the offense and accepted the penalty notice.

The case ended in court. In January 2012, the District Court in Bolesławiec convicted both former police officers of exceeding their powers. One received the following sentence: one year and four months in prison, suspended for three years. The judge sentenced the other to one year and eight months in prison, suspended for four years. Both former officers also had to pay each victim PLN 1,000 in compensation.

What do you think? Read more about police torture in the statement by Commissioner for Human Rights Adam Bodnar.