Tanks entering striking "Wujek" coal mine, December 1981

The Supreme Court has dismissed the annulment appeal in the case of former communist militia functionaries, sentenced to prison for shooting at striking workers in the "Wujek" coal mine, back 1981, after communist authorities imposed martial law on Poland.

Nine miners were killed and twenty one wounded in the December 16th, 1981 massacre. It took over two decades to sentence fifteen communist functionaries for the crime, to prison terms ranging from three and a half to six years.

Jadwiga Stawskińska, mother of one of the victims shot to death at the "Wujek" colliery, says no court sentence will bring back her son to life: 'I can't forget about that, to me it's like it happened yesterday. I am still in that hospital, at that emergency unit, by that bed...' said the mother.

jn