A Lublin court has acquitted a 25-year-old soldier accused of overstepping his authority after he fired 12 warning shots near the Belarus border, stating the defendant acted within his legal duty.
The Legal Verdict and Defense
Karol S., a 25-year-old soldier, was accused of exceeding his authority and endangering lives after firing 12 service weapon rounds near the Belarusian border. The soldier consistently maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
The Lublin court acquitted the soldier, with the judge noting that had the defendant intended to harm anyone, he would have done so given his high level of marksmanship. The court argued that soldiers have a constitutional duty to defend national borders and are authorized to use weapons in a manner appropriate to the threat.
Rejection of Prosecutorial Arguments
The court rejected the prosecutor’s claim that soldiers assisting the Border Guard lose their military status or should be limited to non-lethal equipment. The judge remarked that expecting soldiers to use flare guns in such situations would be a tragic irony.
Expert witnesses could not determine the direction of the shots or confirm that anyone’s life was in danger. Consequently, the court found the prosecution’s position against the soldier to be entirely baseless.
Incident Details and Soldier’s Response
The indictment stated that on March 25, 2024, near Dubicze Cerkiewne, migrants breached a steel barrier. The soldier fired 12 shots along the border road toward a group consisting of migrants, Border Guard officers, and fellow soldiers as they retreated.
Following the acquittal, Karol S. expressed his intent to leave the service but may re-enlist or join the Foreign Legion. He urged politicians to refrain from using his case for public relations, emphasizing that he was simply fulfilling his duty as a soldier.
