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We know the date of the trial of the Five!

The District Court in the city of Hajnówka has notified the defendants of the date of the main hearing. This means that we know the date for the start of the trial – 28 January 2025, at 11:30am.

The trial will take place before the Court in Hajnówka City, Poland.

The trial is about five people facing up to five years in prison for providing humanitarian aid on the Polish-Belarusian border. According to the prosecutor’s office, their ‘crime’ was to provide food and clothing and transport refugees ‘into the country’, which literally means driving them from the forest a few kilometres to the nearest town. Additionally, according to the prosecution, the Five were supposed to have done this for personal gain – but not their own, but that of the refugees. They now face up to five years in prison for this simple human act.

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Krosno Odrzańskie – 10 people with criminal charges

On 17 January, a trial began in the case of 10 people detained and charged after a demonstration in solidarity with those locked detained in the guarded centre for foreigners in Krosno Odrzańskie. The demonstration took place on 12 February 2022 and more than 10 people were detained by the police during the demonstration. Two years later, a trial was launched in which 10 people were charged with a whole range of charges, in various configurations: violation of an officer’s physical integrity (art. 222 Crime Code), active assault on an officer (art. 223 CC), forcing an action on an officer (art. 224 CC), insulting an officer (art.226 CC). In addition, the individuals are charged with participation in a riot with the intent to violently assault persons and property and a hooliganism offence was added – raising the possible sentence.

Even before the trial began, the defence filed a motion to exclude the deciding judge. As it turns out, Judge Piotr Dębicki, who was drawn to adjudicate in this case, had two years earlier heard complaints about the detention of 8 of the 10 people accused today. In the justifications of those rulings, there were formulations and opinions concerning the charges of the criminal case starting today, especially with regard to participation in a fugitive and violation of bodily integrity of an officer. Interestingly, Judge Dębicki also personally applied for exclusion, but this application was not granted by the Gubin District Court. Today in the courtroom, the defence again filed a motion for exclusion, which was also joined by the prosecution.

In this trial we have 10 accused people, more than 20 witnesses and other evidence. Many of these materials have already been presented at the detention complaint hearings. Thus, they are known to Judge Dębicki and he had to refer to them when formulating his decision in the grievance cases. Meanwhile, the defendants have the right to start the trial from ground zero, with an unquestionably and indisputably objective Court. This is their fundamental right as defendants. In this case, there is a legitimate concern that this right is being curtailed for them.

The hearings were held on:
17 January 2024
24 April 2024
7 August 2024

Next hearing: 18 December 2024, 10:30am

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Contact

Antirepression phone line: +48 722 196 139

Mail: szpila@riseup.net

Do not contact via social media about your court cases! If you need direct answer always use anti-rep phone line!

FB: @kolektywszpila
INST: @kolektyw.szpila
MASTODON: mastodon.social/@szpila

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Szpila – who we are?

Szpila Collective

We are a feminist anti-repression collective. We organise assistance for people who face violence and harassment from the authorities and the police because of their activism and political involvement. We are mainly located in and around Warsaw, but we happen to help people from all over Poland, especially on the border with Belarus.

Szpila has leftist and anarchist roots. We are close to the values of freedom and equality, fighting against fascism, discrimination and capitalism. We focus our actions towards people who share these values.

In August 2020, we provided an anti-repression phone number [+48 722 196 139] where people experiencing repression, including those who have been detained by the police, called to police stations or who have been referred to court for punishment, can call or write. Szpila assists in finding legal aid and in publicising the situation, keeps statistics on police repression (cases under its care) and regularly reports publicly on its scale. We are in contact with a grassroots organised group of lawyers and psychologists who offer their support to those experiencing repression.

Our slogan is: you will never walk alone and we take it very seriously.

The basis of our work is cooperation with the organisers of the events, but we also support those who are repressed outside the situation of the demonstration.

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Anti-repression number – what? how? when?

+48 722 196 139

If protests are taking place on a given day, the anti-repression number is only to be contacted in the event of detention and repression.

We can only provide legal advice and longer conversations if no one is in danger of being detained.

If you have details of a detained person or are a detained person, if possible, instead of calling, text or contact us via Signal, What’s app or Telegrm (We prefer Signal)

ANTI-REPRESSION NUMBER – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

When to call/text?

  1. You have been stopped at a demonstration or on your way to/from a demonstration.
  2. The police raid you at home in connection with organising/participating in a feminist/ queer/ anti-police/ anti-capitalist/ anti-fascist event etc.
  3. You see a person being detained by the police in connection with political activity ( !!!!!!! IMPORTANT!!!!!!! if you can, ask the person being detained for their name, this will make it easier to trace them).
  4. You have received information about a hearing or trial date.

How to contact?

  1. If you know there is a demo in the city, DO NOT prolong the conversation, only give the necessary information, be as brief as you can.
  2. Do not say anything on the phone that can be used against you or another person.
  3. Remember that as well as calling you can also text us, write a message on Signal.

What to do if stopped by the police?

  1. Demand contact with a lawyer – ask the police officer to call an anti-repression number (when going to demonstrations always have it written down with a marker on your arm).
  2. If the police refuse to contact legal aid – threaten with a complaint, demand a refusal in writing with reasons.
  3. Do not sign a protocol that does not mention your request to contact a lawyer.
  4. Refuse to give explanation, say: no comment!
  5. Do not admit to the acts you are accused of. Do not plead guilty.
  6. If you are going to the demonstration alone (although we always recommend going in a group) – inform those close to you. Have them contact the anti-repression number if they suspect that you have been arrested.