For 23 Years, a Russian Man Was a Slave on Their Farm. They Will Answer for Human Trafficking

– As a result of an investigation conducted by officers of the Border Guard Post in Legnica under the supervision of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica, two citizens of our country were charged with the crime of human trafficking. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for no less than three years – says SG Major Joanna Konieczniak, press spokesperson for the Nadodrzański Border Guard Unit.

She adds:

The criminal practice took place on a poultry farm near Legnica, where, for more than 23 years, the injured Russian citizen was subjected to unlawful threats and his critical situation and helplessness were exploited in order to make him perform forced labor that degraded human dignity.

The injured man is currently 59-year-old Mikołaj Jerofiejew. As we read on polsatnews.pl:

He came to Poland in 1989 to serve the Red Army, which was stationed near Bolesławiec. He was a civilian employee. When the Soviet troops left in the 1990s, Mr. Mikołaj decided to stay in Poland.

– I worked on the farm, the owner was very pleased, but then a rumor went around that they would supposedly be rounding up those working illegally; he got scared and brought me to the Ś. family. There was of course no shortage of work, nonstop. Work, work, but at that time I was young and strong – Mikołaj Jerofiejew tells Polsat.

A Polish woman helped the Russian man escape from the farm. For 23 years he worked himself to the bone for the Ś. family; he was starved, beaten and abused. He did not receive a penny for his work.

A Polish couple took him in. Despite everything, the Russian man wants to remain in Poland. (Details of this horrifying story at polsatnews.pl).

Border Guard spokesperson: – Preventive measures were applied to the suspects in the form of a property bond, police supervision, a ban on leaving the country together with a ban on issuing a passport, a ban on personal, telephone or other contact with the injured party, and a ban on coming within less than 100 meters of the injured party.

She adds: – In addition, property belonging to one of the suspects was secured in the amount of PLN 200,000 to cover the compensatory measure of compensation for the harm suffered, payable to the injured party.