The new government committee will deal with the abuse of power. Dr. Hanna Machińska: Demonstrators were victims and eventually they were accused

On the initiative of the Minister of the Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak and the Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar A government commission will be established, which will deal with all cases of abuse of power towards democratic activists in 2016-2023 – the spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior said Jacek Dobrzyński on Monday.

In the period that the commission is examined, it ruled United right. There were numerous social protests in these years. Among them are, among others Protests against judicial reforms, women's strike, and demonstrations in defense of TVN and free media, as well as protests on the Polish-Belarusian border.

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Dr. Hanna Machińska, a former vice -factor of civil rights, associated with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, admitted that she was driving “where there were demonstrations.” – I tried to give some support to those who were really victims for me. Of course, I was also on the Polish-Belarusian border and we saw the scale of abuse of power, the scale of police abuse. What's more, in some situations the police even provoked incidents – said Gościni TVN24.

She explained that the police provocations consisted, among others, “using the so -called boiler”. – Although people wanted to go away, (policemen – ed.) In this boiler they kept many hours of these people. There was no order to release these people – she said.

She also pointed out that often police officers avoided ID, but the most “dramatic” was “using telescopic clubs”. – We saw these victims beaten with telescopic sticks, attacked by gas. There are recordings from those police actions, there is evidence – she added.

As Dr. Machińska said, the reported abuse were usually discontinued and “in general, the police thought that demonstrators violated their inviolability.” – The demonstrators were victims, and eventually they were accused of violating inviolability – noted Dr. Machińska.

The former deputy of the Ombudsman noted that “today this is a vital interest of the police to clean up”. – We always said that the fault is unfortunately those who gave orders. Those who performed them also had to know that they were not allowed to exceed their rights – she added.

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Machińska pointed out that “she has reservations” about the Commission's functioning plan. – I cannot imagine that there will be non -governmental organizations in this committee. They can be heard, but I don't think they should actively participate in the government committee itself – she said.

She noted that “the commission expects perception”. – I think that the appointment of this committee is a very good step on the part of Minister Bodnar and Minister Siemoniak. I see in this committee to bring to some justice and that we will give this justice to people. It is one demonstrating today – said Dr. Machińska.

In the period that the commission was examined, the united right ruled. There were numerous social protests in these years. Among them, among others Protests against judicial reforms, women's strike, and demonstrations in defense of TVN and free media.

During protests against the tightening of abortion law in 2020, the police used tear gas, and the crowd entered the civilian anti -terrorists from the elite office of anti -terrorist operations. One of them used a telescopic stick, as well as overturned the woman. As he later informed tvn24.pl, The only consequence that a policeman met was a disciplinary conversation. During the same protest, the police sprayed with gas, among others Women's strike activists Marta Lempart and Klementyna Suchanow and the left MP Magdalena Biejat.

During the manifestation of a women's strike organized on the occasion of celebrating the 102nd anniversary of Polish women obtaining electoral rights, during the blocking of the Łazienkowska route MP Barbara Nowacka was treated with tear gas by one of the officers. In the same year, during the Independence March, the police used tear gas and smooth -sized weapons. The portal Tysol.pl informed that during the riots in this area of ​​the city, the photojournalist “Tygodnik Solidarność” Tomasz Gutry was wounded from the police weapon.

Also in 2020 during the demonstration in defense of the climate, equality and human rights One of the protesters was broken.

At the beginning of 2021 it was published report experts of the national torture mechanism of the Ombudsman's Office (KMPT) summarizing the activities of the police against detained after demonstrations. Experts stated that: – the police brutally treated detained on demonstrations; – detainees and detained drew attention to disproportionate use of handcuffs (including during transport put on the back), spraying gas, or the use of official clubs, including telescopic sticks; – the more common use of tear gas and pepper gas was disturbing; – in some cases personal controls were abused; – for most interlocutors it was the first stop in their lives, but they did not receive the right information; – The right of detainees for immediate legal assistance was not fully respected.

September 19 MP of the Civic Coalition Kinga Gajewska was forcibly brought to the police car by policemen and pulled into it. The recording shows how a group of officers lead a MP towards a police car, then lifts it and draws it inside. In the background you can hear the screams of people that Kinga Gajewska is a MP. There are also voices that “this is a violation of the inviolability of the MP.” The MP itself is held hands by the police. The recordings from this place can also be seen in Paweł Zalewski, MP of the Polish 2050 Circle, who also confirmed the identity of Gajewska.

Read more: Gliński: In our time the police never behaved like that. How did she behave?