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Solidarity appeal from Poland

CK-LA | 13.09.2005 17:24 | Health | Repression | Social Struggles

Appeal for solidarity with polish activist facing persecution

The appeal to all leftist, anarchist and labour surroundings – join us
in solidarity actions to stand up for Andrzej Smosarski with the
sentence of confinement impending over him for having participated in the protest of polish nurses

Red Collective/Left Alternative (CK-LA) wishes to address all labour, leftist and anarchist surroundings for supporting our campaign of defence of our friend and member Andrzej Smosarski “Smoleń” who must appear before the court of the second instance on 27.09. inst. accused of attacking a policeman during the mass manifestation of polish nurses on 18.12.2000. in Trasa Łazienkowska in Warsaw.

Andrzej Smosarski is a many years’ activist of radical left and has been taking part in supporting the labour protests on frequent occasions. In December 2000 being invited by All-Polish Nurses and Midwives Union through the intervention of Polish Socialist Party was taking part in the demonstration of that professional group in Trasa Łazienkowska. Suddenly Andrzej with some other demonstrators got surrounded by the cordon of police officers and then he noticed that one of the women requires immediate medical treatment. Despite his requests police officers denied to let the woman contact ambulances standing nearby. Seeing that the group of demonstrators with Andrzej among them started to press forward and finally broke the cordon of police officers trying to help the sick woman. As a result of that Andrzej and the other activist got accused of attacking a policeman by kicking him in his chest although nothing like that had happened. In Andrzej’s presence the police officers agreed upon their own false version of the whole accident.

The trial in Andrzej’s case in Regional Court in Warsaw ended with an outrageous sentence of the fine of the amount of 3000 polish zlotys (that means an equivalent of several months’ payment gross receipts) plus 800 zlotys other fees-with a commutation to 100 days of confinement. This verdict is much more stict than the one the public prosecutor’s department had been demanding. If this verdict remains in force our friend will be imprisoned for more than three months just because he tried to make the sick woman be helped what obviously was the duty of the police.

CK-LA wishes to request support for our campaign by taking part in
demonstration of solidarity with Andrzej Smosarski in Warsaw on 26th and 27th September in Warsaw, Chopina street 1, or by organizing demonstrations and pickets in the other cities and in front of the polish diplomatic agencies the day before Andrzej’s trial, that means on 26th of September 2005.

CK-LA
- e-mail: info@ck-la.tk
- Homepage: http://www.smosarski.pl