Polish prosecutors have requested a court discontinue criminal proceedings against three South Asian men who illegally slaughtered a goat behind a kebab bar, according to Notes from Poland. The case has drawn attention to how authorities handle offences committed by migrants unfamiliar with local regulations.
The incident occurred in December 2025 in Wałbrzych, a city in south-western Poland. Witnesses reported seeing two Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian national, all legal residents in Poland, leading a goat through the city centre before taking it to the back of a kebab bar that was closed for renovations at the time.
Police arrived to find the men butchering the animal and portioning out the meat. Officers were told the meat was intended for the trio’s own consumption. The men explained that such slaughter practices were customary in their home countries and they were unaware of Polish regulations that, with limited exceptions, require animals to be killed only at authorised slaughterhouses.
Why prosecutors want the case dropped
Mariusz Pindera, a spokesman for prosecutors, told the Wirtualna Polska news website that while the men’s unfamiliarity with Polish law did not “absolve them of the obligation to comply with the regulations”, the harm caused by the act was “relatively low”.
“I know that what these people did shocks many people,” Pindera said. “We must be realistic about the fact that the court proceedings will take some time, thus blocking the docket for other cases. A trial also entails costs for the state.”
Prosecutors have therefore requested a conditional discontinuation of the case, a common procedure under Polish law. Last year, prosecutors submitted almost 25,000 such motions citing the low social harm of offences involved, according to Notes from Poland.
The court must now decide whether to accept or reject the motion. If rejected, prosecutors would be required to proceed with an indictment and seek a conviction. No hearing date has yet been set.
Different treatment for commercial operations
Not all illegal slaughter cases have been treated as low harm. Last month, a court in Limanowa convicted three men for carrying out illegal halal ritual slaughter and selling unapproved meat. The main suspect, a Polish man, oversaw the operation, while two Azerbaijani nationals helped distribute the meat. Those verdicts can still be appealed.
Despite having relatively small Muslim and Jewish populations, Poland is one of Europe’s largest producers and exporters of kosher and halal meat. Almost a third of Poland’s meat exports fall into these categories.
Poland has seen growing immigration in recent years. While most arrivals come from Ukraine and Belarus, numbers from outside Europe are also rising. Indians are now Poland’s third-largest immigrant group, numbering around 25,500 according to data from ZUS, Poland’s social insurance agency. Among first residence permits issued last year, Indians received 9,230 and Turks 7,533, making them the fourth and fifth largest recipient groups.
What this means for Poles in Poland
This case highlights how Polish courts balance cultural differences against local law. Anyone living in Poland, regardless of origin or cultural background, must comply with regulations requiring animal slaughter to take place at authorised facilities. Ignorance of the law is not a defence, though prosecutors may take cultural context into account when assessing social harm.
The conditional discontinuation procedure allows prosecutors to avoid lengthy trials for minor offences, freeing court resources for more serious cases. However, acceptance is not automatic—the court retains the final decision.
For immigrants and long-term residents alike, the case serves as a reminder that Poland enforces animal welfare and food safety rules strictly, particularly when commercial activity is involved. Those wishing to slaughter animals for personal or religious reasons should seek guidance from local authorities or community organisations to ensure they operate within the law.
