Polish soldiers cleared over deaths of Afghan civilians
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 1 June 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Polish soldiers cleared over deaths of Afghan civilians, 1 June 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e142af328.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
June 01, 2011
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (right) stands with governor of Ghazni Province Musa Khan Akbarzada (center) as he visited reconstruction work and Polish soldiers in Afghanistan in June 2010.
Seven Polish soldiers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan have been declared innocent by a Polish military court.
The trial is said to be the first trial for war crimes in Europe involving troops fighting the Taliban.
The judge said prosecutors had not presented enough evidence that the soldiers had committed a war crime.
Six civilians died when the soldiers opened fire with mortars and automatic weapons on the village of Nangar Khel, in southeastern Afghanistan.
Prosecutors had said the killings were a "deliberate act" and had sought prison sentences ranging from five to 12 years for the accused.
The soldiers, members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said they were responding to a Taliban attack and had misfired.
Prosecutors said the firing occurred several hours after the Poles responded to a Taliban attack.
The trial had been ongoing since February 2009.
compiled from agency reports
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
