The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg will examine a complaint concerning Fr. Michał Olszewski, who was held in pre-trial detention under harsh conditions for seven months. “The case has been assigned a number,” the Court informed the priest’s defense attorney, Michał Skwarzyński, in an official letter.
According to the document seen by journalists from the Niezalezna.pl portal, the ECHR’s registry has received the complaint, which was filed by Fr. Olszewski’s defense team on February 18, 2025.
The case has already been officially registered.
Furthermore, the ECHR has asked attorney Michał Skwarzyński to supplement the complaint by April 14.
Seven Months in Detention
Fr. Michał Olszewski and two officials from the Ministry of Justice were arrested at the end of March in connection with the case concerning the Justice Fund. During and shortly after their detention, reports surfaced of improper treatment and abuse toward the priest and the two women. These issues were extensively reported by the media within the Free Speech Zone network.
At the end of October, the Warsaw Court of Appeal allowed the release of the suspects on bail. The priest and the former officials left pre-trial detention after approximately seven months.
Ombudsman’s Report Damning for Authorities
The Ombudsman, Prof. Marcin Wiącek, stated in a report published in December 2024 that Fr. Michał Olszewski was subjected to inhuman treatment and other violations of rights and freedoms following his arrest. He made similar assessments regarding the treatment of the two former Ministry of Justice officials — Urszula (former director of the Justice Fund Department) and Karolina (former deputy director of the same department).
The report detailed, among other things, 15 hours of uninterrupted procedural actions without rest or meals, the continuous use of handcuffs, excessive use of coercive measures (including combined handcuffs), restricted access to bathroom facilities, and the failure to conduct required medical examinations.
Complaint Filed Following Court Decisions
Talks of filing a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights began in the fall of 2024, after the court dismissed Fr. Olszewski’s appeal against his detention.
“This ruling is outrageous — politically motivated and wishful in nature. The court relied on documents produced by the Internal Security Agency and police, pretending that was sufficient, while earlier requesting recordings and agent data. It completely ignored Fr. Olszewski’s testimony and the lack of evidence requested by the defense. By doing so, the court takes responsibility for the claim that the priest’s account had no factual basis. International bodies will have to examine this. The ruling clears the way for filing a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg,” — stated attorney Michał Skwarzyński in October 2024, following the Warsaw-Mokotów District Court’s rejection of the priest’s appeal.