PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 57477/00) 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 Andrzej Malik (“the applicant”), on 13 September 1999.

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

On 17 March 2005 the Court decided to communicate the complaint concerning the length of the applicant’s detention on remand to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it 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 1966 and lives in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland.

On 15 October 1998 the applicant was arrested on suspicion of having committed fraud.

On 16 October 1998 he was brought before the Tarnowskie Góry District Court (Sąd Rejonowy), which ordered that he be remanded in custody until 15 January 1999. The court considered that the applicant’s detention was justified by the existence of strong evidence against him, the gravity of the charges and the severity of the anticipated penalty. His two alleged accomplices were subject to police supervision.

On 29 October 1998 the Tarnowskie Góry District Prosecutor (Prokurator Rejonowy) refused the applicant’s application for release. He considered that keeping him in detention was necessary because an investigation was pending and the police still needed to collect evidence against him. The Katowice Regional Prosecutor (Prokurator Okręgowy) upheld that decision on 20 November 1998.

On 8 January 1999 the District Court prolonged the applicant’s detention until 15 April 1999. It referred to the interests of the pending investigation, such as the need to obtain additional evidence. On 27 January 1999 the Katowice Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy) dismissed the applicant’s appeal against that decision.

In the course of the investigation the applicant filed numerous applications for release. They were dismissed by the District Prosecutor, who found that the reasons for the applicant’s detention had not ceased to exist.

On 30 March 1999 the prosecutor lodged a bill of indictment against the applicant and two other defendants with the Tarnowskie Góry District Court. The applicant was indicted on several charges of fraud and forgery of documents.

On an unspecified date the applicant asked the District Court to release him in view of his bad health. He maintained that he suffered from high blood pressure.

On 21 March 1999 the court refused the application. It found that the applicant’s health condition allowed him to remain in detention and that his case “did not disclose any of the grounds for release” provided by Article 259 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The court based its view on the opinion of a prison doctor.

On 12 April 1999 the court again prolonged the applicant’s detention until 15 October 1999. It considered that it was justified by the existence of strong evidence against him and the gravity of the charges. The Katowice Regional Court upheld that decision on 27 October 1999.

The trial began on 13 August 1999. The District Court held 8 hearings and heard 23 witnesses. On 15 October 1999 the court prolonged the applicant’s detention until 15 April 2000, relying on the grounds previously given.

The applicant repeatedly asked the Tarnowskie Góry District Court to release him in view of the state of his health. Each time, the court repeated the reasons it had previously given, finding that the original grounds for the applicant’s detention were still valid and that he had failed to adduce any arguments which would weigh in favour of his release. It also found that keeping the applicant in detention would not endanger his health, as it was possible for him to obtain medical treatment in the detention centre.

The District Court convicted the applicant as charged on 17 March 2000. It sentenced him to 4 years’ and 6 months’ imprisonment. The applicant appealed.

On 18 July 2000 the Katowice Regional Court partly amended the first-instance judgment and changed the legal qualification of the offence. It upheld the remainder of it.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e1
001-73028_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
57477/00
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a4_e2
001-73028_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-73028_a4_e3
001-73028_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
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check
001-73028_a4_e4
001-73028_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Andrzej Malik
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check
001-73028_a4_e5
001-73028_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
13 September 1999
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insert
001-73028_a4_e6
001-73028_a4_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e7
001-73028_a4_em7
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
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insert
001-73028_a4_e8
001-73028_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e9
001-73028_a4_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
17 March 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e10
001-73028_a4_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
1966
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a4_e11
001-73028_a4_em11
LOC
QUASI
Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e12
001-73028_a4_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1998
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check
001-73028_a4_e13
001-73028_a4_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
16 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a4_e14
001-73028_a4_em14
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court (Sąd Rejonowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e15
001-73028_a4_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
15 January 1999
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check
001-73028_a4_e16
001-73028_a4_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
29 October 1998
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insert
001-73028_a4_e17
001-73028_a4_em17
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Prosecutor (Prokurator Rejonowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a4_e18
001-73028_a4_em18
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Prosecutor (Prokurator Okręgowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e19
001-73028_a4_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
20 November 1998
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001-73028_a4_e20
001-73028_a4_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
8 January 1999
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check
001-73028_a4_e21
001-73028_a4_em21
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-73028_a4_e22
001-73028_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 1999
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001-73028_a4_e23
001-73028_a4_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 1999
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001-73028_a4_e24
001-73028_a4_em24
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e25
001-73028_a4_em25
ORG
NO_MASK
District Prosecutor
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check
001-73028_a4_e26
001-73028_a4_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
30 March 1999
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insert
001-73028_a4_e27
001-73028_a4_em27
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e21
001-73028_a4_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
HEALTH
insert
001-73028_a4_e28
001-73028_a4_em29
MISC
NO_MASK
high blood pressure
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e29
001-73028_a4_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
21 March 1999
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check
001-73028_a4_e30
001-73028_a4_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
12 April 1999
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check
001-73028_a4_e31
001-73028_a4_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a4_e32
001-73028_a4_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e33
001-73028_a4_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
27 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e34
001-73028_a4_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
13 August 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e21
001-73028_a4_em36
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e31
001-73028_a4_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e35
001-73028_a4_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e27
001-73028_a4_em39
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e21
001-73028_a4_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e36
001-73028_a4_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
17 March 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a4_e37
001-73028_a4_em42
DATETIME
NO_MASK
4 years’ and 6 months’
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e38
001-73028_a4_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
18 July 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a4_e32
001-73028_a4_em44
ORG
NO_MASK
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e1
001-73028_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
57477/00
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e2
001-73028_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e2
001-73028_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e3
001-73028_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Andrzej Malik
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check
001-73028_a6_e4
001-73028_a6_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
13 September 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a6_e2
001-73028_a6_em6
ORG
QUASI
001-73028_a6_em2
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e5
001-73028_a6_em7
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
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001-73028_a6_e6
001-73028_a6_em8
DATETIME
QUASI
17 March 2005
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001-73028_a6_e7
001-73028_a6_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
1966
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e8
001-73028_a6_em10
LOC
QUASI
Dąbrowa Górnicza
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correct
001-73028_a6_e9
001-73028_a6_em11
LOC
QUASI
Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e10
001-73028_a6_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e11
001-73028_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
16 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e12
001-73028_a6_em14
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e13
001-73028_a6_em15
ORG
NO_MASK
Sąd Rejonowy
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e14
001-73028_a6_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
15 January 1999
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001-73028_a6_e15
001-73028_a6_em17
QUANTITY
QUASI
two
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001-73028_a6_e16
001-73028_a6_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
29 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e17
001-73028_a6_em19
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e18
001-73028_a6_em20
ORG
NO_MASK
(Prokurator Okręgowy
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e19
001-73028_a6_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
20 November 1998
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001-73028_a6_e20
001-73028_a6_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
8 January 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e21
001-73028_a6_em23
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e22
001-73028_a6_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 1999
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check
001-73028_a6_e23
001-73028_a6_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e24
001-73028_a6_em26
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-73028_a6_e25
001-73028_a6_em27
ORG
NO_MASK
Sąd Okręgowy
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e26
001-73028_a6_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
District Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e27
001-73028_a6_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
30 March 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a6_e15
001-73028_a6_em30
QUANTITY
QUASI
two
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check
001-73028_a6_e12
001-73028_a6_em31
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e21
001-73028_a6_em32
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
HEALTH
insert
001-73028_a6_e28
001-73028_a6_em33
MISC
NO_MASK
high blood pressure
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e29
001-73028_a6_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
21 March 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e30
001-73028_a6_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
12 April 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e31
001-73028_a6_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e24
001-73028_a6_em37
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e32
001-73028_a6_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
27 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e33
001-73028_a6_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
13 August 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e21
001-73028_a6_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a6_e34
001-73028_a6_em41
QUANTITY
QUASI
8
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a6_e35
001-73028_a6_em42
QUANTITY
QUASI
23
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e31
001-73028_a6_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-73028_a6_e36
001-73028_a6_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e12
001-73028_a6_em45
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e21
001-73028_a6_em46
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-73028_a6_e37
001-73028_a6_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
17 March 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-73028_a6_e38
001-73028_a6_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
4 years’ and 6 months
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001-73028_a6_e39
001-73028_a6_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
18 July 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-73028_a6_e24
001-73028_a6_em50
ORG
QUASI
Katowice Regional Court
Andrzej Malik
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Andrzej Malik