Polish police officer charged over death of Ukrainian citizen

This was reported by Ukrinform, citing Stanisław Bar, the spokesperson for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Opole.

“On November 6, the 29-year-old police officer was charged with exceeding his official authority due to the inappropriate use of physical coercion to restrain a person, leading to the death of a 48-year-old Ukrainian citizen,” the prosecutor's spokesperson stated.

According to Bar, the officer faces up to five years in prison. Although he has provided testimony in the case, he has not pleaded guilty. The officer has been suspended from his duties and is prohibited from leaving Poland.

Bar explained that a post-mortem examination of the Ukrainian man indicated that he might have died due to a sudden cessation of respiratory functions, implying asphyxiation. However, the exact cause of death can only be confirmed after all the necessary tests, including a histopathological examination, are completed, which could take several weeks. The deceased's body has already been handed over to his family.

The prosecutor elaborated on the circumstances of the incident. On October 29, police were called by the owner of a company in the town of Krzywizna, where the Ukrainian man sought employment. The employer demanded that the man, who eventually declined to work for him, pay for his overnight stay. Initially, the Ukrainian refused, but by the time the police arrived, he had paid. When officers asked him to show his documents, he refused, leading to an attempt to take him to the police station. The man resisted, and as officers tried to handcuff him using physical force, he became unwell and lost consciousness. Paramedics were called to the scene but pronounced him dead.

Bar emphasized that the prosecutor’s office has ruled out the use of excessive force by the police officer based on national bias, considering it an unfortunate incident.

The spokesperson also noted that this is the first case in the Opole Voivodeship this year involving a death during a police arrest.

Yurii Tokar, the Consul General of Ukraine in Wroclaw, informed Ukrinform that the death of Ukrainian citizen Ihor Sh. is under close scrutiny by the consulate. The circumstances of the incident, including the legality of the force used, are being investigated by the District Prosecutor's Office in Opole.

“The Consulate, in coordination with law enforcement agencies, emphasizes the importance of a thorough, complete, and objective investigation into all aspects of the case,” Tokar stated.

As reported by Ukrinform, this is not the first such incident in Poland.

In November 2020, a 44-year-old man from Ternopil region died in Poland’s Łódź Voivodeship after police used a taser on him. Additionally, in July 2021, a Wroclaw court sentenced seven individuals to prison terms ranging from 1.5 to 5 years for the beating death of 25-year-old Ukrainian citizen Dmytro Nykyforenko at a sobering-up station.