The selection of direct coercive measures against the detainee is decided by the uniformed services, taking into account, among others, the suspect's aggression, risk of escape or threat to the environment. In special situations, e.g. in the case of people with bodily injuries or mental disorders, the method of protection is co-decided by a doctor or the prosecutor's office. The detainee's country of origin does not play any role. The rules for the use of handcuffs and the list of persons authorized to give orders to use them are specified in the Act on means of direct coercion and firearms of May 24, 2013.
Disinformation after the attack in Jarosław
Małgorzata Szumna pointed out in an interview with PAP that the common denominator of disinformation after the attack in Jarosław was convincing recipients about the alleged increase in violence by Ukrainian citizens. In her opinion, these narratives falsely suggest that the Polish state remains completely passive and helpless in the face of this threat.
In this context, accusations are being made about more lenient treatment of Ukrainian citizens by the services and the justice system and about the media deliberately concealing information about crimes involving them. As a result, reluctance towards Ukrainians is linked to undermining trust in the state and the belief that it does not provide Poles with adequate protection, the analyst explained.
Examples of fake news about the attack in Jarosław
One example of such manipulation are entries on the X platform juxtaposing a photo of the detained Ihor M., led by police officers with bandaged hands and no visible handcuffs, with photos of detained Poles in handcuffs. This suggested that the police use unequal means and favor the Ukrainian citizen.
It was also pointed out online that the media allegedly deliberately did not publicize the attack in Jarosław. This message was intended to strengthen the false thesis about the existence of double standards in reporting crimes and the alleged protection of the image of Ukrainian citizens by Polish editorial offices.
At the same time, entries appeared on Facebook, TikTok and the X platform falsely presenting a single criminal incident from Jarosław as evidence of an alleged threat from Ukrainians. To make this manipulation credible, the authors of the posts referred to tragic historical events, such as the Volhynian crime, i.e. the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population in the Eastern Borderlands carried out by Ukrainian nationalists in 1943–1945.
Intensification of anti-Ukrainian disinformation narratives
Szumna admitted that "the attack in Jarosław contributed to the intensification of anti-Ukrainian disinformation narratives that have been operating in the Polish infosphere for a long time." NASK is (currently) observing a clear increase in the intensity of hate speech against Ukrainians, which has reached the highest level since the first half of July 2026 - she added.
False content about the attack in Jarosław was published by, among others, anonymous profiles known for spreading disinformation and sympathizers and politicians associated with the Confederation and the Confederation of the Polish Crown, led by Grzegorz Braun.
Disinformation. How to react?
When asked how to react to unverified information about the attack in Jarosław, an analyst from NASK emphasized that "the most important thing is to maintain distance, especially towards content that immediately evokes strong emotions and encourages a quick reaction." –
It is worth stopping, checking the source of the information and seeing whether it is also confirmed by other reliable sources. If we have any doubts, we can use fact-checking services that professionally verify claims appearing in the information space, she noted.
We also suggest that you exercise particular caution in the face of further reports of similar events in other parts of Poland. High interest in one event may be used to spread false or unverified information, which is intended to strengthen the impression that the threat is widespread and growing, predicts Szumna.
What happened in Jarosław?
On Thursday, 31-year-old Ihor M. attacked a total of five people in the monastery in Jarosław: four men and a woman. One of them died, two are in a serious condition in a hospital in Jarosław, and one injured woman is in a hospital in Przeworsk. One of the injured people left the hospital in Przemyśl on Thursday evening.
On Friday morning, the prosecutor's office charged Ihor M. with murder, attempted murder and causing serious bodily injury.
Expert psychiatrists diagnosed the suspect, Ihor M., with acute polymorphic psychotic disorders. This makes it impossible to interrogate him and bring charges against him. The District Prosecutor's Office in Jarosław will submit a request to the court for his arrest for three months in hospital.
Bishop Zadarko appeals
