Former police officers from Zlaté Moravce tried for torture of detainee at station
Former police officers from Zlaté Moravce are facing trial for the brutal torture of a young man directly at the station. The hearing was adjourned to October.
Detainee beaten, kicked and filmed during assault
According to noviny.sk, three former police officers from Zlaté Moravce are facing trial for the crime of torture and abuse of authority by a public official. The assault allegedly took place directly at the district police station, where a presented man named Lukáš had his head and mouth covered with adhesive tape, preventing him from breathing. While in handcuffs, he was beaten, kicked and subjected to an electric stun gun. The entire incident was photographed and filmed on video.
One of the accused took part in the assault even during his off-duty time. The case file also includes a second victim, who allegedly was physically attacked and beaten by officers after being brought to the station.
The case came to light only after Lukáš was taken into custody for fraudulent activity. A fellow inmate, who spent three weeks with him following the assault, described his condition in court: "He was crippled, I had to help him get dressed and undressed because he couldn't even raise his arms. He had burn marks from the stun gun. When he saw police officers in the food distribution area, he was beside himself and was holding on to me out of fear."
The victim's mother, Helena, confirmed the extent of the violence: "They covered his head with tape, he couldn't breathe, his hands were in handcuffs, they beat him and kicked him. I don't know if those police officers were trying to boost their egos."
The young man, who is currently serving a sentence for fraud, did not appear in person at the hearing. He requested to be questioned via videoconference or individual escort — out of concern for his own safety.
The court proceedings ended before they properly began. Only two of the three accused appeared at the hearing. The third sent a written apology through his legal representative, objecting to the proceedings taking place in his absence. The judge adjourned the case to October. Given the exceptional brutality of the documented assaults, the court is considering excluding the public from further proceedings.
Source: Google News SK — Crime (sk)