A Warsaw military court acquitted second lieutenant Adam L. of negligent use of a weapon involving a November 2023 shooting of a Syrian refugee. The incident occurred in Podlasie province when Adam L., who had recently received his first posting to the border, participated in an operation to apprehend a group of migrants who had crossed from Belarus and were two kilometres from the border. A 23-year-old Syrian man fled after soldiers called for the group to stop, and the soldier, Adam L., chased him but slipped and fell, causing his gun to discharge two rounds. One bullet hit the Syrian man in the back near his spine. The Syrian man went to hospital, was discharged weeks later, and was granted asylum in Poland in May 2024. Since 2021, Belarus has encouraged and in some cases coerced tens of thousands of migrants, mainly from Asia and Africa, to cross into Poland. Military prosecutors initially considered charging the soldier with negligent use of a weapon resulting in serious injury, a crime carrying up to eight years in prison, but they downgraded the charge to negligent use of a weapon causing impairment or a health disorder.
Judge Michal Zak found the charge of negligence could not be proven because the evidence regarding how the incident unfolded remained unclear. He noted expert evidence suggesting the soldier’s gun might have had defects that caused it to fire when it hit the ground. While prosecutors asked the court to impose only a 2,000 zloty indemnity on Adam L., the Syrian man’s lawyer sought 50,000 zloty to compensate his client. The Syrian’s lawyer said they will wait for the judge’s full written justification before deciding if they will appeal the verdict. The verdict can still be appealed.
Defense ministry supports military legal protection
Defense minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz welcomed the ruling, stating, "A soldier who carries out his duties cannot be left alone, even in a difficult situation." His ministry provided legal counsel from a special team established in 2024 to defend military personnel. This acquittal follows a May 2025 case where another soldier was acquitted for firing shots toward migrants crossing the border. A 2024 law also made it easier for uniformed officers to use firearms by removing criminal liability for employing weapons in certain cases when they are defending the border.
| Border Crossing Attempt Data | Figures |
|---|---|
| Attempts in first half of 2026 | 250 |
| Attempts in first half of 2025 | 15,500 |
| Percentage decrease | 98% |
Poland has posted thousands of soldiers to the border to support the border guard and police. These officers have faced violence from migrants, including a June 2023 incident where a Polish soldier died after being stabbed. Migrant attempts dropped after the government strengthened physical barriers and banned asylum claims by irregular crossers. In the first half of 2026, only 250 attempts were recorded, which is a massive decline from the 15,500 attempts in the same period of 2025. Poland also claims to have a 100% success rate in apprehending those who manage to successfully cross the border.
