Landmark trial begins of judge accused over communist-era court cases

The Military Garrison Court in Wroclaw has begun the first trial of a communist-era judge based on an indictment prepared by the National Re membrance Institute (IPN). According to an indictment prepared by IPN prosecutor Sebastian Kujacz, 75-year-old Jerzy M. is accused of passing excessively harsh sentences on three people. On January 23, 1952, a court presided over by Jerzy M. sentenced Boguslaw H. to three years in prison for printing leaflets that read, "Down with communism" and "Long live free and independent Poland". The judge also sentenced two other people to prison terms of 13 and 10 years respectively, one for being active in an opposition organization, and the other for publicly inciting acts against the People's Republic of Poland and the USSR. Witnesses will be heard during the next court session, at the end of February. However, the three men sentenced by Jerzy M. will not be among them, since all three are dead. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) P.W.