PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 13637/03) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Mr Krzysztof Bartosiński (“the applicant”), on 3 April 2003.

The applicant was represented before the Court by Ms Lucyna Rutkowska, a lawyer practising in Toruń. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The applicant alleged, in particular, that his correspondence with the Court had been opened and read by the prison authorities.

The applicant and the Government each filed observations on the merits (Rule 59 § 1).

On 7 September 2007 the President of the Fourth Section decided to give notice of the application to the Government. It was also decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility (Article 29 § 3).

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant, Mr Krzysztof Bartosinski, is a Polish national who was born in 1972 and lives in Lubianka.

By a decision of the Bydgoszcz District Court of 14 September 2002 the applicant was arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of illegal production and sale of alcohol, selling cigarettes without payment of excise duty and membership of an organised criminal group. According to the applicant's submissions, police officers used force against him during his arrest and insulted him. When ordering his detention, the court found that the evidence obtained in the case, in particular the testimonies of the other suspects and of a witness, bills, minutes of searches and telephone conversations, indicated a high probability that the applicant had committed the offences. The applicant's detention was therefore necessary in order to prevent collusion and to avert the risk that he would exert pressure on witnesses or that the suspects would coordinate their testimonies.

During the investigation the applicant's detention was successively prolonged by detention orders issued by the Inowrocław District Court or the Gdańsk Court of Appeal and dated 11 December 2002, 11 March and 27 August 2003.

The applicant submits that the decision of 11 December 2002 was served on him on 16 December 2002 and that for 4 days he had been kept in custody without having been provided with a relevant detention order.

In his letter of 3 April 2003 the Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor admitted that the service of the applicant's motion for release had been delayed for 5 days before reaching the Prosecutor Office.

In further letters, the Regional Prosecutor stated among other things that the applicant's correspondence with the prosecutor had not been delayed by the Prosecutor Office. On 15 May 2003, following the applicant's complaint to the Ombudsman about delays in the service of official letters, the President of the Inowrocław District Court clarified that the applicant's letter to the Regional Prosecutor of 27 January 2003 had been forwarded to the prosecutor on 14 February 2003 and that a letter dated 13 February had been served on the applicant on 28 February 2003.

The applicant submitted an envelope containing a letter from the Court, bearing several stamps of the Police Detention Centre dated 8 and 16 March 2004 including a stamp “censored” (“ocenzurowano”) with an illegible date.

By a decision of 14 August 2003 the Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor granted the applicant permission to receive a visit from members of his family in the presence of an officer of the Central Investigation Office. The prosecutor stated that the applicant had previously been granted two visits, on 28 February and 10 June 2003, and that neither the family nor the applicant had requested more frequent meetings. On 29 September 2003 the Regional Prosecutor replied to the applicant that further visits had not been granted since no requests for such had been made.

On 29 March 2004 the applicant was released from detention. The proceedings are pending.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e1
001-94967_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
13637/03
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-94967_a4_e2
001-94967_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-94967_a4_e3
001-94967_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e4
001-94967_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Krzysztof Bartosiński
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e5
001-94967_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
3 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e6
001-94967_a4_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Ms Lucyna Rutkowska
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e7
001-94967_a4_em7
LOC
NO_MASK
Toruń
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a4_e8
001-94967_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e9
001-94967_a4_em9
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a4_e10
001-94967_a4_em10
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e11
001-94967_a4_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
7 September 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e4
001-94967_a4_em12
PERSON
DIRECT
001-94967_a4_em4
Mr Krzysztof Bartosinski
ETHNIC
check
001-94967_a4_e3
001-94967_a4_em13
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e12
001-94967_a4_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
1972
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e13
001-94967_a4_em15
LOC
QUASI
Lubianka
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e14
001-94967_a4_em16
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e15
001-94967_a4_em17
DATETIME
QUASI
14 September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e16
001-94967_a4_em18
ORG
NO_MASK
Inowrocław District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e17
001-94967_a4_em19
ORG
NO_MASK
Gdańsk Court of Appeal
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e18
001-94967_a4_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
11 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a4_e19
001-94967_a4_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
11 March and 27 August 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e18
001-94967_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
11 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e20
001-94967_a4_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
16 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a4_e21
001-94967_a4_em24
DATETIME
NO_MASK
4 days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e5
001-94967_a4_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
3 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e22
001-94967_a4_em26
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e23
001-94967_a4_em27
DATETIME
NO_MASK
5 days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e24
001-94967_a4_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
Prosecutor Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e25
001-94967_a4_em29
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e24
001-94967_a4_em30
ORG
NO_MASK
Prosecutor Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e26
001-94967_a4_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e27
001-94967_a4_em32
ORG
NO_MASK
Ombudsman
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e16
001-94967_a4_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
Inowrocław District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a4_e25
001-94967_a4_em34
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e28
001-94967_a4_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e29
001-94967_a4_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
14 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e30
001-94967_a4_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
13 February
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e31
001-94967_a4_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
28 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e32
001-94967_a4_em39
ORG
NO_MASK
Police Detention Centre
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e33
001-94967_a4_em40
DATETIME
QUASI
8 and 16 March 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e34
001-94967_a4_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
14 August 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e22
001-94967_a4_em42
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e35
001-94967_a4_em43
ORG
NO_MASK
Central Investigation Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e36
001-94967_a4_em44
DATETIME
NO_MASK
28 February
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e37
001-94967_a4_em45
DATETIME
NO_MASK
10 June 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e38
001-94967_a4_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
29 September 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e25
001-94967_a4_em47
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a4_e39
001-94967_a4_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
29 March 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e1
001-94967_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
13637/03
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-94967_a6_e2
001-94967_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e2
001-94967_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e3
001-94967_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Krzysztof Bartosiński
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e4
001-94967_a6_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
3 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e5
001-94967_a6_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Ms Lucyna Rutkowska
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e6
001-94967_a6_em7
LOC
QUASI
Toruń
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-94967_a6_e2
001-94967_a6_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
001-94967_a6_em2
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e7
001-94967_a6_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e8
001-94967_a6_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
7 September 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e9
001-94967_a6_em11
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Krzysztof Bartosinski
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e2
001-94967_a6_em12
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e10
001-94967_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
1972
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e11
001-94967_a6_em14
LOC
QUASI
Lubianka
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e12
001-94967_a6_em15
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e13
001-94967_a6_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
14 September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e14
001-94967_a6_em17
ORG
QUASI
Inowrocław District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e15
001-94967_a6_em18
ORG
QUASI
Gdańsk Court of Appeal
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e16
001-94967_a6_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
11 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a6_e17
001-94967_a6_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
11 March and 27 August 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e16
001-94967_a6_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
11 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e18
001-94967_a6_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
16 December 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e19
001-94967_a6_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
4 days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e4
001-94967_a6_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
3 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e20
001-94967_a6_em25
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e21
001-94967_a6_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
5 days
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e22
001-94967_a6_em27
ORG
NO_MASK
Prosecutor Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e23
001-94967_a6_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e22
001-94967_a6_em29
ORG
NO_MASK
Prosecutor Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e24
001-94967_a6_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e25
001-94967_a6_em31
ORG
NO_MASK
Ombudsman
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e14
001-94967_a6_em32
ORG
QUASI
Inowrocław District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e26
001-94967_a6_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e27
001-94967_a6_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
14 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e28
001-94967_a6_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
13 February
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e29
001-94967_a6_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
28 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e30
001-94967_a6_em37
ORG
NO_MASK
Police Detention Centre
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e31
001-94967_a6_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
8 and 16 March 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e32
001-94967_a6_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
14 August 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e20
001-94967_a6_em40
ORG
QUASI
Bydgoszcz Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e33
001-94967_a6_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
Central Investigation Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-94967_a6_e34
001-94967_a6_em42
DATETIME
QUASI
28 February and 10 June 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e35
001-94967_a6_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
29 September 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-94967_a6_e36
001-94967_a6_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
29 March 2004
Krzysztof Bartosiński
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Krzysztof Bartosiński