General Kiszczak when serving in communist government

Communist-era Polish general Czesław Kiszczak has been acquitted by a Warsaw provincial court after being accused of sending a coded message ordering riot police to use live ammunition to quell the strike at the Wujek colliery during martial law in December 1981.

Nine miners died and dozens were injured when the protest was roken up by ZOMO riot police.

The prosecution demanded a two-year prison sentence suspended for five years for the 85 year-old general who was serving as the interior ministry at the time of the alleged crime.

General Kiszczak denied the charges, claiming that his coded message was not an order to use ammunition but just a reminder of the Council of State decree on the declaration of martial law.

The daughter of one of the miners killed 30 years ago said in a TV interview that the court verdict shows that Poland is a state of law but not of justice. (mk/pg)