Prisoners beaten, suffocated and waterboarded in Polish prison, finds report

Inmates at a prison in Poland have faced physical and mental torture, including beatings, suffocation and waterboarding, according to a new report. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the claims.

However, the prison authorities say that, while they are also investigating the issue, they have doubts about the “objectivity” of the report, which concerns Barczewo prison in northeastern Poland.

The report, published on Tuesday by the office of Poland’s commission for human rights, a state body, was written by the National Torture Prevention Mechanism (KMPT), which operates within the commissioner’s office.

It followed visits by KMPT staff to the prison, which houses around 700 male inmates, between 17 and 20 October 2022, during which they interviewed managers and inmates, as well as conducting their own monitoring and review of prison documents.

KMPT alleges that inmates were dragged out of their cells and brought to unmonitored rooms, where they were then beaten, insulted, intimidated, suffocated, and even waterboarded.  In some cases, prison officers reportedly placed black bags over prisoners’ heads.

The report also mentions an instance in which one detainee allegedly went into cardiac arrest as a result of a beating.  “An ambulance was not called; officers resuscitated the inmate on their own, eventually restoring his vitals,” it reads.

While KMPT’s findings were based in large part on inmates’ own accounts, its inspectors also cited other evidence. For example, with regard to a claim of waterboarding, video “footage shows the man being brought to the cell and removing his wet clothing”.

In response to the publication of the report, both public prosecutors and the Central Board of the Prison Service (CZSW) have launched investigations.

“All the circumstances are currently under investigation, all of which will be verified,” Daniel Brodowski, spokesman for the regional prosecutor’s office in Olsztyn, where the prison is located, told broadcaster Polsat.

Magdalena Socha, spokeswoman for the regional director of the prison service in Olsztyn told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that immediately after receiving the report, the director general of the prison service also ordered an inspection of the penitentiary.

“It is a matter of ensuring the safety of inmates and prison service officers, which is why, despite the frequent practice among inmates of reporting untrue incidents, every such case is clarified,” she said.

However, Socha also informed PAP of certain doubts that both the justice ministry – which has authority over prisons – and CZSW have concerning KMPT’s findings.

“In the opinion of the justice ministry and CZSW, the circumstances of the incident indicate a possible defect in the report consisting in the lack of objectivity of the author of the study, who entered into a dispute with the management of the inspected prison,” she said.

Socha added that, during the KMPT’s inspection, an alleged incident occurred relating to the “inappropriate behaviour of an inspector” in connection with the “destruction of property” by “urinating in a room not intended for this purpose”.

However, in a statement today, the commissioner for human rights, Marcin Wiącek, said that the KMPT’s inspector had been forced to remain in a room with prisoners after guards did not respond to his request to be let out. As a result, he was forced to urinate in the room.

Main image credit: TOMASZ WASZCZUK / AGENCJA GAZETA

Anna Hackett

Anna Hackett is an assistant editor at Notes from Poland. She is a recent graduate of European Studies from Trinity College Dublin and has had previous journalistic experience with the Irish Independent News & Media group.