PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 24322/02) 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 Ryszard Panusz (“the applicant”), on 21 October 2001. The applicant was represented by Ms S. Kałka, a lawyer practising in Racibórz.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 6 October 2006 the President of the Fourth Section of the Court decided to communicate the application to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it was decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1967 and lives in Katowice.

A. Criminal proceedings against the applicant and his detention on remand

On 28 June 2000 the applicant was arrested on suspicion of murder.

On 30 June 2000 the Tychy District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) ordered his detention on remand.

The applicant’s detention was subsequently extended on 28 September, 18 December 2000 and on 26 March 2001.

On 8 June 2001 the bill of indictment was lodged.

On 25 June 2001 the Katowice Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy) extended the applicant’s detention until 15 January 2002. The court relied on a strong suspicion that he had committed the offence in question, which was supported by evidence. It attached importance to the grave nature of the offence and the likelihood of a severe sentence of imprisonment being imposed on him. In addition, keeping him in custody was necessary to ensure the proper conduct of the proceedings. Lastly, the court stressed that there were 3 co‑accused and 26 witnesses involved in the proceedings.

On 16 November 2001 the trial court held the first hearing. It subsequently held 7 hearings in the case.

On 7 January 2002 the Katowice Regional Court extended the applicant’s detention until 15 May 2002. The court repeated the reasons given previously. Upon an appeal by the applicant, the Katowice Court of Appeal (Sąd Apelacyjny) upheld that decision on 6 February 2002.

On 6 May 2002 the Regional Court again extended the applicant’s detention. The court stressed that he was likely to receive a particularly severe sentence.

On 23 May 2002 the Katowice Regional Court convicted the applicant as charged and sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment. On 10 July 2002 the applicant’s lawyer lodged an appeal. He was kept in detention pending appeal for the 10 subsequent months.

On 6 March 2003 the Court of Appeal upheld the first-instance judgment.

On 18 June 2003 the applicant’s lawyer filed a cassation appeal (kasacja) with the Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy).

On 24 May 2004 the applicant informed the Registry that his cassation appeal had been rejected by the Supreme Court.

B. Monitoring of the applicant’s correspondence

At the time of lodging his application with the Court the applicant was detained in the course of criminal proceedings against him.

On 1 February 2002 the Registry of the Court received a letter from the applicant dated 28 January 2002. The envelope bears a stamp “censored on...” (ocenzurowano dn....) and an illegible signature.

On 28 May 2002 the Registry of the Court received the application form from the applicant (dated 16 May 2002). It was delivered in an envelope bearing a stamp “censored on...” (ocenzurowano dn....). It also bears an illegible signature and a handwritten date, 20 May 2002.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e1
001-86678_a1_em1
CODE
DIRECT
24322/02
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e2
001-86678_a1_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e3
001-86678_a1_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e4
001-86678_a1_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Ryszard Panusz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e5
001-86678_a1_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
21 October 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e6
001-86678_a1_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Ms S. Kałka
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-86678_a1_e7
001-86678_a1_em7
LOC
QUASI
Racibórz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e8
001-86678_a1_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e9
001-86678_a1_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e10
001-86678_a1_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
6 October 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e11
001-86678_a1_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1967
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e12
001-86678_a1_em12
LOC
QUASI
Katowice
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e13
001-86678_a1_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
28 June 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e14
001-86678_a1_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
30 June 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e15
001-86678_a1_em15
ORG
QUASI
Tychy District Court (Sąd Rejonowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e16
001-86678_a1_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
28 September
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e17
001-86678_a1_em17
DATETIME
QUASI
18 December 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e18
001-86678_a1_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
26 March 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e19
001-86678_a1_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
8 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e20
001-86678_a1_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
25 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e21
001-86678_a1_em21
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e22
001-86678_a1_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
15 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e23
001-86678_a1_em23
QUANTITY
QUASI
3 co‑accused
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e24
001-86678_a1_em24
QUANTITY
QUASI
26 witnesses
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e25
001-86678_a1_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
16 November 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e26
001-86678_a1_em26
QUANTITY
NO_MASK
7 hearings
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e27
001-86678_a1_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
7 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e21
001-86678_a1_em28
ORG
QUASI
001-86678_a1_em21
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e28
001-86678_a1_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e29
001-86678_a1_em30
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Court of Appeal (Sąd Apelacyjny)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e30
001-86678_a1_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
6 February 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e31
001-86678_a1_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
6 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e21
001-86678_a1_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a1_em21
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e32
001-86678_a1_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
23 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e21
001-86678_a1_em35
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e33
001-86678_a1_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
15 years
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e34
001-86678_a1_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
10 July 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e35
001-86678_a1_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
10 subsequent months
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e36
001-86678_a1_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
6 March 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e37
001-86678_a1_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Appeal
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e38
001-86678_a1_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
18 June 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e39
001-86678_a1_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e40
001-86678_a1_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
24 May 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a1_e39
001-86678_a1_em44
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a1_em42
Supreme Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e41
001-86678_a1_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
1 February 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e42
001-86678_a1_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
28 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e43
001-86678_a1_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
28 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e44
001-86678_a1_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
16 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a1_e45
001-86678_a1_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
20 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e1
001-86678_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
24322/02
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-86678_a4_e2
001-86678_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-86678_a4_e3
001-86678_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e4
001-86678_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Ryszard Panusz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e5
001-86678_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
21 October 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e6
001-86678_a4_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Ms S. Kałka
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-86678_a4_e7
001-86678_a4_em7
LOC
QUASI
Racibórz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e8
001-86678_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e9
001-86678_a4_em9
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e10
001-86678_a4_em10
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e11
001-86678_a4_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
6 October 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e12
001-86678_a4_em12
QUANTITY
QUASI
3
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e13
001-86678_a4_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
1967
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e14
001-86678_a4_em14
LOC
QUASI
Katowice
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e15
001-86678_a4_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
28 June 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e16
001-86678_a4_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
30 June 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e17
001-86678_a4_em17
ORG
NO_MASK
Tychy District Court (Sąd Rejonowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e18
001-86678_a4_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
28 September
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e19
001-86678_a4_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
18 December 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e20
001-86678_a4_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
26 March 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e21
001-86678_a4_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
8 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e22
001-86678_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
25 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e23
001-86678_a4_em23
ORG
NO_MASK
Katowice Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e24
001-86678_a4_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
15 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e12
001-86678_a4_em25
QUANTITY
QUASI
3
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e25
001-86678_a4_em26
QUANTITY
QUASI
26
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e26
001-86678_a4_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
16 November 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e27
001-86678_a4_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
7 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e23
001-86678_a4_em29
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a4_em23
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e28
001-86678_a4_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e29
001-86678_a4_em31
ORG
NO_MASK
Katowice Court of Appeal (Sąd Apelacyjny)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e30
001-86678_a4_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
6 February 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e31
001-86678_a4_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
6 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e23
001-86678_a4_em34
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a4_em23
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e32
001-86678_a4_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
23 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e23
001-86678_a4_em36
ORG
NO_MASK
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e33
001-86678_a4_em37
DATETIME
NO_MASK
15 years
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e34
001-86678_a4_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
10 July 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e35
001-86678_a4_em39
DATETIME
NO_MASK
10 subsequent months
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e36
001-86678_a4_em40
DATETIME
QUASI
6 March 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e29
001-86678_a4_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a4_em31
Court of Appeal
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e37
001-86678_a4_em42
DATETIME
QUASI
18 June 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e38
001-86678_a4_em43
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e39
001-86678_a4_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
24 May 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-86678_a4_e38
001-86678_a4_em45
ORG
NO_MASK
001-86678_a4_em43
Supreme Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e40
001-86678_a4_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
1 February 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e41
001-86678_a4_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
28 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e42
001-86678_a4_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
28 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e43
001-86678_a4_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
16 May 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-86678_a4_e44
001-86678_a4_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
20 May 2002
Ryszard Panusz
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Ryszard Panusz