The investigation of CIA prisons is conducted in order to determine whether it is true that there were CIA prisons on Polish territory where the detainees were illegally detained, interrogated and tortured. It concerns the abuse of power by the highest state officials – an offence stipulated in art. 231 Criminal Code that is punishable with up to three years of imprisonment.
The prosecutor Jerzy Mierzewski was replaced by Waldemar Tyl who was recently appointed the Deputy Appellate Prosecutor in Warsaw and it was him who made this decision. According to the press reports, Jerzy Mierzejewski will now work on the case of the gang responsible for the infamous and still unsolved brutal kidnappings.
Up until now it has been determined that 20 persons were brought from Afghanistan, Dubai and Morocco to the Szymany airport on board of seven Gulfstream airplanes between December 2002 and September 2003. Two Guantanamo prisoners – Abu Zubaydah and Al-Nashiri – were granted a status of a victim in the proceedings, moreover second motion for legal assistance was lately sent to U.S. authorities. The media speculated that the investigation was so advanced that it could have ended up with prosecutor’s motion to the State Tribunal.
The decision of removing Jerzy Mierzewski was very unexpected and surprising. Although the Prosecutor Service ensured that the clarification of this case is a priority, there are now many concerns regarding the future of the criminal investigation and speculations that the investigation will be discontinued.
The investigation is closely followed by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Warsaw. The decision about the removal of Jerzy Mierzewski is difficult to understand. I expect the Polish General Prosecutor to objectively explain its reasons – said Adam Bodnar, Secretary of the Board of the Foundation. – I also hope that it is not caused due to the planned visit of President Obama to Poland or approaching elections. I also hope that such a decision does not indicate plans of discontinuation of the case.
