Latest news with #Polak
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland cancels acquisition process for 32 Black Hawk helicopters
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland has cancelled the procurement procedure for the purchase of 32 more Lockheed Martin S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for the Polish Army, the Polish Armament Agency said on Friday. "Maybe it is necessary to acquire other equipment in its (helicopters') place such as drones, or tanks, or some kind of communication," agency spokesman Grzegorz Polak told Reuters. Polak added that "some correction" was needed when the geopolitical situation and state security interests required other tasks to be carried out. Poland launched negotiations for the acquisition of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, produced by Lockheed Martin's Polish arm PZL Mielec, in 2023 under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government. PiS lawmaker Mariusz Blaszczak, who was defence minister in the previous government, labelled the decision a "disgrace" in a post on X, saying it would slow down the replacement of the helicopter fleet. In August 2024 Poland signed a contract with the U.S. to buy 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Under the deal with the U.S. government the helicopters would provide new combat capabilities in terms of target engagement and reconnaissance, and will replace Poland's post-Soviet Mi-24 helicopters. Polak said the Armament Agency obtained equipment in accordance with Polish army plans, which are classified. It was not the Armament Agency that set procurement priorities, he added.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Poland cancels acquisition process for 32 Black Hawk helicopters
WARSAW - Poland has cancelled the procurement procedure for the purchase of 32 more Lockheed Martin S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for the Polish Army, the Polish Armament Agency said on Friday. "Maybe it is necessary to acquire other equipment in its (helicopters') place such as drones, or tanks, or some kind of communication," agency spokesman Grzegorz Polak told Reuters. Polak added that "some correction" was needed when the geopolitical situation and state security interests required other tasks to be carried out. Poland launched negotiations for the acquisition of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, produced by Lockheed Martin's Polish arm PZL Mielec, in 2023 under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government. PiS lawmaker Mariusz Blaszczak, who was defence minister in the previous government, labelled the decision a "disgrace" in a post on X, saying it would slow down the replacement of the helicopter fleet. In August 2024 Poland signed a contract with the U.S. to buy 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Under the deal with the U.S. government the helicopters would provide new combat capabilities in terms of target engagement and reconnaissance, and will replace Poland's post-Soviet Mi-24 helicopters. Polak said the Armament Agency obtained equipment in accordance with Polish army plans, which are classified. It was not the Armament Agency that set procurement priorities, he added. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Sky News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Cyprus attorney general appeals after five Israeli men cleared of gang raping British tourist in Ayia Napa
The attorney general of Cyprus attorney has appealed against the acquittal of five Israeli men accused of gang raping a British tourist on the island. The woman, then 20, said one of them forcibly took her to his hotel room before the others joined the attack during a pool party in the popular holiday resort of Ayia Napa on 3 September 2023. All five of the men, then aged 19 and 20, denied charges, including rape, sexual assault and abduction and have returned home after they were cleared by three judges after a trial which finished at the end of last month. The court decision cited contradictions in the woman's testimony concerning the identification of the alleged attackers. But the country's attorney general George Savvides has confirmed to Sky News he has filed an appeal against the court's decision. The woman's lawyer Michael Polak said the intervention means the acquittals could eventually be reversed and the men found guilty in the court of appeal. "Obviously she was very disappointed with the acquittals of the men after bravely travelling back to Cyprus to give evidence," he told Sky News. "The decision of the attorney general to appeal their acquittals is welcome. "The appeal process in Cyprus is long and slow but she still hopes to achieve justice at the end of the process." The acquittals came just weeks after a European Court of Human Rights criticised the Cypriot authorities over their handling of the allegations of another British woman who alleged she had been gang raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists. The case caused international outrage when the then 19-year-old was convicted of "public mischief" after she retracted the allegations. She said she was forced into withdrawing the claims and her conviction was eventually quashed at the Cypriot Supreme Court which found she did not receive a fair trial. The judge who had overseen the initial trial was one of the judges who acquitted the five Israeli men in the latest case. Mr Polak, who also represented that woman said: "There were many promises after what happened in the first case, including from Cypriot parliamentarians, but none of them seem to have had any impact." In the latest case, the woman, who is openly gay, told police one of the men grabbed her by the hand as she was partying with friends and took her to his room before the others entered. Mr Polak, who is director of the Justice Abroad organisation, said her family was "shocked" by suggestions she had consented to have sex with the men, who didn't even speak the same language as her. He said the now 21-year-old woman, who is from Scotland and retuned to Cyprus to give evidence over four days in a closed court in Paralimni, was "really shocked, sad and distraught" after the verdicts. The judges said the woman's initial statement to investigators contained "weaknesses," which weren't "out of the ordinary" under the circumstances, according to reports of the announcement of the acquittals. The court said the woman was under the influence of a "significant" amount of alcohol and the drugs MDA and MDMA. But it found the quantities in her system weren't enough to "remove her ability for consent" since she testified that she only felt "a little dizzy" after consuming the alcohol and drugs.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- The Independent
Briton `distraught' after Cyprus court acquits five men accused of raping her
A British tourist is 'really shocked, sad and distraught' after charges against the five Israeli men she accused of gang-raping her in a hotel were dropped by a court in Cyprus, her lawyer has said. On Monday, a three-member Assize court, sitting as a district court in Paralimni, ruled the testimony of the 20-year-old had not been credible as it 'lacked coherence and contained numerous substantial contradictions', The Guardian reported. Police said she had picked the men out of a line-up as having raped her during a hotel pool party in the coastal resort town of Ayia Napa on September 3 2023. The defendants, who were then aged 19 and 20, had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The woman is 'really sad and really upset' about the acquittals which saw all of the men walk free from court, according to her lawyer Michael Polak. He said: 'She is openly gay, not interested in men at all and the defence was that she consented to group sex with these Arab Israeli men who do not speak English. 'So she is really shocked by the verdict.' The woman, who cannot be legally identified, was 'highly distressed' as she told police that she was 'taken by force' during a party and was then sexually assaulted in a hotel room, it was reported. Mr Polak, who is director of the Justice Abroad organisation, added he is 'not surprised' by the ruling. It comes after the European Court of Human Rights ruling earlier this year that Cyprus' law enforcement authorities failed to live up to their obligation to thoroughly and effectively investigate a British teenager's claims. Mr Polak has written to the Attorney General in Cyprus to appeal against the verdict in this week's case. He said: 'We think one of the higher courts should look at it and look at it properly,' before adding: 'We'll see what happens but we don't have great hope.' Mr Polak said it is 'very difficult to assess' the criticisms that have been made about the 20-year-old's testimony, saying he has yet to see the full judgment. He added: 'But I do know that she has no interest in men or entering into a group sex act people she did not know or speak the same language – none of that has been mentioned.'
BBC News
06-02-2025
- BBC News
Tyler Kerry: Authorities re-open Turkey hotel lift shaft death
Turkish authorities have reopened their investigation into the death of a British man whose body was found at the bottom of a hotel lift Kerry, 20, was on holiday with his family when he died at the Trendy Lara hotel in Kundu, near Antalya, in November the time, Turkish authorities said Mr Kerry, of Pitsea, Essex, had been drinking and that there was no evidence of "intervention" with his body, but his family believe he was Polak from Justice Abroad - who is representing Mr Kerry's family - believes the Turkish police drew their conclusions "too quickly". 'Evidence lost' Mr Kerry was on his first family holiday abroad with his grandparents, girlfriend and other than 36 hours after arriving, he was found in the lift shaft in the basement level, wearing just a pair of boxer shorts and socks. Medics were unable to save him. Mr Kerry's family said they were "disgusted" at the Turkish authorities' handling of the situation, including the lift reportedly being put back into use for hotel guests just a few hours lawyer Michael Polak - who set up Justice Abroad to help British citizens navigate legal processes in foreign countries - said evidence in Mr Kerry's case may have been lost."It was little bit worrying that the scene was cleaned up so quickly because that impedes investigations," he told the BBC."If it was in the United Kingdom, you'd hope that they'd set up a cordoned-off area, they'd bring different experts in to gather all the evidence before any of it's damaged.""We hope that we'll still be able to find evidence and be able to help the family to find those answers they need," the barrister said. 'Second incident' Mr Polak said Mr Kerry's family had been contacted by another holidaymaker who stayed at the same hotel earlier in 2024, whose son was allegedly "beaten up" by security guards in the basement, very close to where Mr Kerry's body was found a few months later."It does ring some alarm bells that something similar has happened at the same hotel in relation to the security and it's something that, at the very least, needs to be investigated," Mr Polak said.A judge in Turkey has now instructed investigators to look into both Mr Kerry's death and the alleged assault on the other holidaymaker, Mr Polak told the BBC."We are confident that they will do the right thing and they'll look into this closely," he said."Tourism is a huge part of the Turkish economy, especially in the Antalya area, so they'll want to make sure that they are looking at this really properly."Mr Polak said he expected the hotel would cooperate with the investigation, and that the holiday operator Tui - who Mr Kerry's holiday was booked under - "will want to look into the safety of the hotel if they are sending people [there] again and again". Mr Kerry's family - who arranged a private autopsy to be carried out in addition to those which took place in Turkey and at the East London coroner's service - are said to be "very pleased" that the case is being re-investigated, and are continuing to fundraise to help pay for legal inquest was opened and adjourned in December into Mr Kerry's death. The area coroner, Michelle Brown, said she was "in the hands of the Turkish authorities" who would "not engage with the UK coroner's service at all".A spokesperson for the Presidency of Turkey told the BBC in a statement they "are deeply saddened by the loss of Tyler Kerry…" and that "the safety of millions of UK citizens who visit our country each year is of the highest priority.""Türkiye and the UK are participants in the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters," the spokesperson said, adding that they "will make their best efforts to assist the relevant authorities in the UK".Both the Trendy Lara hotel and Tui said it would be inappropriate to comment while the investigation is ongoing. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
