3.1 C
London
Friday, February 14, 2025

Hajnówka. The trial of activists operating on the border has started. Klaudia Jachira and Janina Ochojska are protesting

Must read

- Advertisement -


Today, in the District Court in Hajnówka (Podlasie), the trial of five activists has started, whom the prosecutor's office accused of facilitating the stay in Poland to migrants from Iraq and Egypt, who illegally crossed the border with Belarus. Investigators claim that migrants were received in the area of ​​the border by activists and later transported deep into the country. A protest in defense of activists took place in front of the court building. On site was, among others Klaudia Jachira and Janina Ochojska. The court postponed the trial, but did not set a new date.

“The five trial is a political process. The prosecutor's office made a bizarre accusation: facilitating illegal stay in exchange for achieving personal benefits … by people who were provided” – we read in a seal who placed in social media, helping migrants to migrants, a group of border.

Today, in the District Court in Hajnówka, the trial of five activists has started, whom the prosecutor's office accused of facilitating the stay in Poland for migrants with Iraq and Egyptwho illegally crossed the border with Belarus.

A protest began in front of the court building Joanna Wyrwas/ TVN24

- Advertisement -

Hearing

Before the court opened the court, he first conducted a draw of media representatives who could stay in the courtroom. The court found that due to the great interest of journalists of the press, radio, television and internet media and the size of the room, not all representatives of about 20 editorial offices could fit in.

Then the court dismissed the defense application for discontinuation of criminal proceedings, and then – for nearly an hour – he recognized the prosecutor's request behind the closed door to completely exclude the openness of the trial; The public prosecutor referred to the important interest of the state, so that the circumstances that should be kept secret because of this interest.

Ultimately, the court decided that exclusion of openness would be partial. The first part of Tuesday's hearing was already taking place with such exclusion. The court defined the trial, but he did not set the next date.

Accused

On Tuesday, four of five accused persons appeared in court (the fifth is abroad, in her case the decision to expose from Poland, related to the events to which the trial concerns), is valid. They agree to provide their data in the media and present the image. They all did not admit, they explained to the court, but they did not agree to answer the questions.

“Helping and mindfulness for the needs of other people is an integral part of my identity (…). I think that sharing with my neighbor what I have, this is my duty, as a man and is a morally correct act” – said Mariusz Chyżyński, permanently living in Scotland. He pointed out that he has long been involved in humanitarian activities. in refugee camps in Greece and in the evacuation of war refugees with Ukraine to Poland.

Also accused Joanna Humka emphasized that she acted to save “maybe life, and certainly the health and dignity of another man.” She described the realities of the situation at the time at the border with Belarus. “For me, throwing people from Poland in the territory of Belarus is essentially, as is essential, such as participating in attempted murder in white gloves,” she said. She referred to the constitution and the rights written there. “I do not think that my behavior fulfills the premises of any crime,” she added.

“I think that in that situation I did the way any person should do. Because, according to the law, I could be charged for not providing this help,” said Kamil Mikołajek before the court. “At school, they teach us about our Polish hospitality, about the tradition of helping. I have been brought up in this spirit – to help and not be indifferent” – explained the accused.

“I feel embarrassed that the state puts its strength, money and our taxes in this process, and does not deal with something useful, e.g. investments in health care,” she added. In her opinion, the case has a political background and “is on the hand of every power.”

Prosecutor's office: They received migrants and transported deep into the country

In front of the court building protested, among others Klaudia Jachira and Janina Ochojska.

The prosecutor's office claims that activists received migrants from the border area and then transported deep into the country.

Daria Górniak-Dzioba: They took them to the Border Guard facility

It is about the event from March 2022 and – as activists write in social media – help provided to the Iraqi family with the seven children and a citizen of Egypt.

– Refugees got food and clothing. The children were chilled and starved. Humanitarians took everyone to the nearest Border Guard facility in Białowieża so that they could submit applications for international protection in Poland. This is what the prosecutor's office was – transporting into the country – explains Daria Górniak -Dzioba, a lawyer cooperating with the Volunteer Humanitarian Emergency Service in an interview with tvn24.pl, which also helps at the border.

They stood up for activists Joanna Wyrwas/ TVN24

Otherwise they would probably be “pushback”

Before they reached Białowieża, the activists were detained by the Border Guard. When we ask if it was better to call the SG that there is a group of refugees at the border, whose activists helped, says that – without the participation of humanitarian – migrants would probably be “pushback”, i.e. pushed in the forest by Polish services to Belarus.

See also: They wanted to look in the Migrant Forest. They saw a barrier and guards. There is a notification to the prosecutor's office

– The prosecutor's office also accuses that humanitarians instructed foreigners how to behave towards Polish services. They only said that they had the right to submit applications for international protection in Poland and that they should not sign any documents in a language they do not know – says the lawyer.

They are against, as one of the banners says, “punishing good” Joanna Wyrwas/ TVN24

Operation “Lock” – a crisis caused by Lukashenko

Migration crisis on the borders of Belarus with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia He was caused by Alaksander Lukashenko, who is accused of waging a hybrid war. It involves the organized transfer of migrants on the territory of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. In more than 28 years of his rule, Lukashenko has often threatened Europe with a weakening of borders.

Read also: Operation “Lock” – where did planes fly to Minsk? This is what results from the analysis of thousands of cruises

The action of downloading migrants to Belarus from the Middle East or Africa, in order to cause a migration crisis, was described on his blog by a journalist of the Belarusian opposition channel Next Tadeusz Giczan. He explained that the Belarusian services in this way conducted the “lock” surgery 10 years ago. Under the guise of trips to Minsk, promising to move to Western Europe, Lukashenko's regime brought thousands of migrants to Belarus. Then he transports them to the borders of the EU countries, where Belarusian services force them to cross them illegally. This operation is still going on.

Aid organizations about the situation on the border

Organizations providing humanitarian aid on the Polish-Belarusian border say that despite changing the government in Poland against migrants, the law is still broken. They argue that they have documented cases of throwing people abroad with Belarus who clearly asked for international protection and the presence of volunteers. During one of the press conferences, a drastic film was presented by the Volunteer Humanitarian Emergency Service, which shows the dragging of the woman's inert body through the gate in the border fence and abandoning her on the other side.

Assistance organizations demand that the government restore the rule of law on the Polish-Belarusian border, conducting a policy of borders protection with respect for international and domestic law guaranteeing access to the procedure for applying for international protection and compliance with the non-refourent principle, initiating the administrative proceedings provided for by the right to persons crossing the border, Immediate arrest of violence on the border towards people on the way and to be liable to guilty of violence.

“We know about people in severe health thrown out of military ambulances, as well as explored straight from the hospitals. Men, women with children and minors without care go behind the wires and the border. Beating, undressing, kicking, throwing handcuffs, destroying phones and documents, receiving backpacks with provisions and clean water. international in Poland, and then they are taken by the fence ” – we read in the organization's joint statement.

Read more on tvn24.pl: Crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border

Source of the main photo: Joanna Wyrwas/ TVN24



Source link

More articles

- Advertisement -

Latest article