In a significant legislative move, the Polish Sejm voted on Friday to authorise security forces to use lethal force with impunity in response to active threats, particularly along the border with Belarus. This decision, reported by Euractiv has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organisations and activists.
The bill, which still requires the president’s signature, was introduced in the wake of a fatal stabbing of a Polish soldier on the Belarusian border. Poland, a member of NATO and the EU, has accused Minsk of funnelling thousands of migrants to the Polish-Belarusian frontier.
Under the new legislation, security personnel, including police, border guards, and soldiers, will not face criminal liability for using weapons or direct force in violation of standard rules if there is a threat to individual or national security. This clause has raised significant concerns among international observers.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed worry that the law could “foster a lack of accountability and reflect a poor commitment to human rights obligations.”
Today I published this correspondence with the Polish authorities and their reply regarding the situation on the border with #Belarus https://t.co/f0CAY8iP4c
— Michael O'Flaherty (@MichaelCJT) July 24, 2024
He warned that it might create legal and political frameworks that would hinder state agents from adhering to proportionality in the use of force and firearms, particularly in border areas.
Polish lawyer and activist Hanna Macinska commented on Friday that “national security concerns should not serve as a carte blanche for actions that violate human rights.”
Earlier this month, Poland announced plans to bolster its military presence and fortify defences along the Belarusian border, citing “ongoing provocations.” This escalation followed an incident in June when a soldier patrolling the border was fatally stabbed through a five-metre metal fence erected by Poland in 2022 to deter migrants.
The Polish prosecutor’s office determined that the soldier’s killing was a deliberate act carried out by an individual from the Middle East, allegedly with the tacit approval of Belarusian authorities. Polish services have identified the perpetrator, who is currently under the protection of the Lukashenko regime in Belarus.
This incident has exacerbated tensions at the Belarusian-Polish border, already strained by migration pressures. The Polish military has also reported other attacks on servicemen stationed along the frontier.
Read also:
Poland to Launch Military Operation “Safe Podlaskie” on Belarus Border
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