TRIAL OF POLES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 146, 22 June 1945, Page 5

TRIAL OF POLES

TWELVE SENTENCED

Okulicki Deprived Of Freedom For Ten Years N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 a.m. LONDON, June 21. The trial of the Poles accused of subversive activities against the Red Army in Poland was completed in Moscow yesterday. Twelve of the accused were found guilty and' the following sentences were imposed:—

General Leopold Okulicki, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Polish Home Army, now disbanded, ten years' deprivation of freedom.

Jankowski, Vice-Premier of the Polish Government in London, eight years.

Bien, of the Peasant party, five years; Jasinkowicz, National Democrat, five years; Puzak, Socialist, 18 months; Baginski, Peasant party, one year; Stypulkowski, National Democrat, and Urbanski, Christian Labour party, four months; Czernik, Democrat, six months; Chacinski and Meiszwa, Christian Labour, four months; Zwerzinski. eight months.

Stemler, Mihalowski and Kobylanski were acquitted.

The sentences, which are not subject to appeal, will be effective from the date of the arrest (last March). General "Did His Duty" In his final plea Okulicki said he felt no enmity toward the Soviet Union and added: "I was guided not by enmity but by suspicion and acted defensively. I did my duty.

"I know my people sincerely want friendship with the Soviet Union and so do I, but on one condition—that Poland's independence should be preserved. There will be no friendship if the Soviet Union wants to enslave Poland. The Polish people Jove freedom." Stypulkowski, speaking in his own defence, refused to admit any guilt. He said: "How can I be accused of fighting the enemies of Germany when the Gestapo destroyed ray own family?" He added: "History teaches that agreements made with slaves lead nowhere. Slaves lick the hands of the strong but rise against them at the first opportunity." Defending counsel addressed the Court on behalf of 12 of the accused, pleading for acquittals for nine and maximum leniency for three, on the ground that the Polish Government in London misled them into believing that they were doing their duty to Poland. The other accused spoke in their own defence.

After a brief adjournment, the accused, in accordance with Russian legal custom, were allowed to say their "last words" before the judges gave their verdict. Okulicki said: "I am guilty, but as a soldier. I was forced by circumstances to do what I did."

The Court said it had decided not to inflict severe measures at a time when the great need was for peaceful reconstruction.