The 1989 Polish prison riots refers to an outbreak of violence, which took place at four maximum-security prisons[1] in northwestern Poland in late 1989. The riots were the result of political changes which had taken place in Poland in early and mid-1989 (see Polish Round Table Agreement, Polish legislative election, 1989). Inmates in several prisons hoped that collapse of the Communist system would result in the release of repeated offenders, due to an amnesty, but it did not happen. In the riots that ensued, seven people were killed, and hundreds were wounded.[2]
Background
By mid-1989, all political prisoners in Poland had been released, but prisons across the country were filled with thousands of inmates sentenced by the Communist regime. When, as a result of the 1989 legislative election, several former political prisoners found themselves in the Sejm, those who remained behind bars hoped that general amnesty was imminent.
First disturbances in prisons began in late summer of 1989, especially in northwestern Poland (in Nowogard, Czarne, and Goleniow). At first, the inmates demanded improvement in their living conditions and better pay for their work. Back then, prisons in Poland were filled with people guilty of petty offences, such as stealing a bicycle. It was the result of the so-called “May 1985 Bill”, which stated that all recidivists, regardless of the crime, had to be sent behind bars.[3] The bill caused overcrowding in cells, and conditions for inmates were very poor.
Polish government met the requests of protesting prisoners, who in return demanded more, including revoking their sentences and amnesty. In August 1989, inmates at Nowogard de facto took over control of the prison. Their authority went so far that to take any prisoner for a trial at Szczecin court, a permision of the 47-member Protest Committee was needed. The Committee was headed by 34-year old thief Zbigniew O (aka Orzech).
Partial amnesty
On November 16, 1989, the Sejm declared a partial amnesty, which, however, did not include recidivists.[4] This disappointed thousands of inmates, and two days later Zbigniew O. of the Nowogard prison, together with two other prisoners (Miroslaw T., sentenced for 15 years for killing his own mother, and Zdzislaw P., sentences for 12 years for theft), went to Warsaw with a prison guard escort, to talk to Minister of Justice Aleksander Bentkowski. However, the minister refused to meet them (another version states that the inmates got drunk on their way to Warsaw.[5]
Nevertheless, Orzech managed to talk to Senator Edward Wende of oppositional Solidarity Citizens' Committee. Wende did not have good news for him and other inmates, telling the criminal that the Contract Sejm most likely would refuse extended amnesty. Orzech, after returning to Nowogard, told other inmates that if there was no extended amnesty, the prison “would be destroyed”.[6] Corrections officers and managers of prisons in northwestern Poland were aware of the situation, and brought reinforcements from other parts of the country.
Outbreak of riots
On December 7, 1989, Polish Parliament debated about final shape of the amnesty. Inmates of several northwestern prisons (Goleniow, Czarne, Nowogard) anxiously awaited the news from Warsaw. When Teleexpress and Polish Radio informed that the amnesty did not include recidivists[7], furious prisoners began fighting the wardens. In Nowogard, Orzech, who knew he would not be released as a recidivist, demanded to talk to prison’s manager. During the conversation he threatened to blow up prison’s furnace room, which was serviced by the inmates. The manager, Stanislaw Grzywacz, gave up and agreed to Orzech’s demand to organize a meeting of prisoners. At the same time, Grzywacz ordered all prisoners out of the furnace room and replaced them with wardens.
During the meeting, those present discussed two options - those of active and passive resistance. Around 40% supported active riot, and it was decided that the inmantes would refuse to go out for their everyday walks, and every hour, they would make noise, hitting their pots against bars in windows.
On next day, December 8, Nowogard inmates listened to morning news on the radio, finding out that riots had broken in prisons in Goleniow and Czarne, with unknown number of victims (later on it turned out that in Czarne, 6 people died, and 30 were wounded[8]. In Goleniow, a prisoner accused of cooperation with authorities was set on fire and died, while in Czarne, wardens opened fire on inmates who tried to take control of the gate[9]. When the news was brought to Orzech, he immediately went to see manager Grzywacz, telling him: “In five minutes, we will burn your prison to the ground”.[10] Soon afterwards, Orzech, while returning to his cell, threw a chair at a window, breaking it and yelling: “We are going down”, which was understood as a call for action.[11]
Riot
Within a few minutes, whole prison descended into chaos. Wardens ran away in panic, locking all doors and gates behind. Heaviest skirmishers took place in Pavillion IV, where Orzech was kept. It was him, who, according to many witnesses, gave order to set fire to the buildings and move sick prisoners elswhere. On December 10, riots took place on an even larger scale. Inmates threw bricks and burning rags, while wardens used tear gas. Then the prisoners got to the cafeteria, from where they took several hundred jars of goulash and bars of chocolate. On the same day, a unit of ZOMO arrived at prison gate, under Jerzy Stanczyk, who would later become chief of Polish police (1995 0 1997)[12]. Stanczyk and “Orzech” met each other at the gate of the prison. The meeting was short, as Stanczyk pointed to a row of armed ZOMO agents. In response, “Orzech” nodded and left.[13]
Thus the riot was over. The inmates had two choices - give up or face a detachment of ZOMO riot police, armed with truncheons, tear gas and pistols. A few hours after the meeting, ZOMO entered the prison, beating several inmates. In the following months, most active inmates were transferred to prisons across Poland, and at District Court in Szczecin, a trial of three leaders of riot took place, during which some 100 witnesses gave their testimonies.
On November 22, 1991, “Orzech” was found guilty of inciting riots and destruction of public property. He was sentenced to 7 years, and 7 million zlotys fine. Miroslaw T. was sentenced to 5 years, and Zdzislaw P. - 4 years.
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Adam Zadworny, Mozecie mnie juz puscic, Gazeta Wyborcza, 2009-12-11
- ^ Adam Zadworny, Mozecie mnie juz puscic, Gazeta Wyborcza, 2009-12-11
- ^ Adam Zadworny, Mozecie mnie juz puscic, Gazeta Wyborcza, 2009-12-11
- ^ [2]
- ^ Events in Poland, 1989
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ Events in Poland, 1989
- ^ Events in Poland, 1989
- ^ [6]
- ^ Events in Poland, 1989