Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD/NI leader) has come under fire after the death of a prisoner who exposed cases of police brutality, despite claiming it was an isolated incident, while the opposition calls for liability, including his resignation.

On November 5, police in the eastern Slovak city of Košice arrested Ľubomír, 48, for allegedly trying to steal alcohol from a local store. Two police officers arrived, and one of them severely beat the inmate, who was caught on the store’s cameras. The prisoner lost consciousness and was transported to the hospital, where he died the next day.

The senior officer involved was arrested on Monday and charged with manslaughter, facing 12 to 15 years in prison, while his colleague was acquitted.

Details of the case emerged slowly, with significant revelations coming days later. The public was first informed on November 12.

On Thursday, a special closed session of Parliament’s Defense and Security Committee was convened to discuss the case in detail, with other disturbing information coming to light.

Opposition MP František Majerský (KDH/EPP) said after the meeting that the accused policeman tried to influence witnesses and obtain CCTV footage after the murder. The other policeman who witnessed the fight also remains on duty.

“We will terminate his employment contract,” said police president Ľubomír Solák at a press conference after the committee meeting, accompanied by the Minister of the Interior Eštok.

Solák explained that the two policemen lied in their report about Ľubomír’s arrest after the violent fight. They first claimed that the inmate was heavily intoxicated and had slipped and fallen. But the autopsy made it clear that he died from the beating.

Neither Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) nor Solák have yet taken responsibility. Opposition politicians have called for his resignation, but so far he has received no response.

“It was a failure of a single police officer, an act that should not have happened,” Eštok said.

Eštok later said he wanted to “wait until the investigation is completed before holding anyone accountable if it turns out there was no individual failure.” He also announced plans to introduce body cameras for officers and improve psychological testing.

The opposition wants responsibility

However, the opposition remains adamant that accountability measures are overdue. The Progressive Slovak Party (PS/RE) has repeatedly called on Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) to dismiss Interior Minister Šutaj Eštok.

“If you don’t, we will insist on his dismissal in parliament,” said party leader Michal Šimečka.

The opposition SaS party accused Eštok of exacerbating social tensions with his perceived arrogance and inflammatory rhetoric.

“Ľubomír’s death is undoubtedly the result of the policies of this government and of Matúš Šutaj Eštok, who in one year in office has only succeeded in betraying the police,” he added, calling for participation in the November 17 demonstration.

This case is not an isolated one in Košice. Two weeks ago, MPs from the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee were in another department to investigate a case of brutal and apparently sexual violence by police officers against a man.

Four years earlier, 23-year-old Jakub was also a victim of police brutality in Košice, leaving an interrogation room with two skull fractures that required emergency surgery.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)