According to data provided to PAP by the Prison Service, 2,575 foreign nationals from nearly 80 countries are currently incarcerated in Poland.
The largest groups include Ukrainians (1,313), Georgians (305), and Belarusians (140).
The nationality of 60 foreign inmates remains unconfirmed, while five are stateless, meaning they do not hold citizenship in any country.
Earlier this week, Poland’s interior minister and the mayor of Warsaw – who is also the main ruling party’s presidential candidate in May’s presidential elections – declared a “zero tolerance” approach to crimes committed by immigrants.
They pointed out that foreign nationals accounted for 5% of criminal suspects detained in Poland last year.
The issue of crime among immigrants has gained significant attention, especially following a report earlier this month suggesting that Georgians, in particular, have been linked to a resurgence of violent organized crime reminiscent of the 1990s post-communist era.
(mo)
Source: PAP