Seriously ill Dominik B., held in custody by court decision at the request of the prosecution, will remain there longer. Despite losing vision in one eye, progressive blindness in the other, and the urgent need for surgery, the prosecutor has shown no mercy. What’s more, Dominik B.’s defense attorneys were not even notified about the decision to extend his detention.
Dominik B. was detained in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities at the Governmental Agency for Strategic Reserves. The prosecutor charged him with five crimes, including participation in an organized criminal group, aiding in the abuse of power, and money laundering. While in detention, his health has seriously deteriorated: he has lost vision in one eye and is going blind in the other.
Despite this, prosecutor Karol Zok summoned Dominik B. and other suspects for proceedings that – according to his attorney, Krzysztof Wąsowski – contributed nothing to the investigation.
“They ended in total failure, since the suspects simply exercised their right to remain silent (which, given Dominik’s severe illness, was entirely predictable – at the last proceeding, he was not even able to read the documents presented to him, or even the protocol of that session). Probably just to somehow justify the necessity of keeping a gravely ill suspect in isolation,” wrote attorney Wąsowski about the interrogation.
He also reported that the defense of Mr. Dominik learned from the Warsaw Regional Court that prosecutor Zok had submitted a motion there to extend the detention of the seriously ill man.
“Prosecutor Zok decided he did not need to disclose his motion to the defense. Why should they… have more time to analyze the reasoning contained in this procedural filing,” Wąsowski pointed out.
He added that the prosecutor has so far not responded to the defense’s motion for the immediate release of Dominik B. from custody due to the evident deterioration of his health. He has also failed to disclose to the defense the post-operative opinion of the ophthalmology professor appointed as expert by the prosecution.