Polish activist murdered in Ecuador, post-mortem report indicates
Poland has received an initial post-mortem report from Ecuador indicating that a Polish anti-graft activist living there was murdered, spokesman for the Polish prosecutor's office investigating the case told PAP on Tuesday.
Monika Silva-Koniuszek, a 41-year-old Polish activist who had lived in Ecuador for the past decade, was found dead in her apartment in Montanita on June 8. She had spent years uncovering corruption in public administration in Ecuador.
"The preliminary post-mortem report, which we received via diplomatic post even before our request reached Ecuador, indicates that the victim's death was the result of deliberate action by third parties," Daniel Brodowski said.
The report lists Silva-Koniuszek's injuries, but the prosecutor's office is not disclosing them.
"Investigations are still being carried out, similar to those we conduct in Poland in murder cases," Brodowski told PAP, adding that the Polish activist's body remains at the disposal of investigators in Ecuador, which means that, at this stage, the deceased cannot be buried.
"Investigators from Ecuador have said that they will be sending us further documents," Brodowski added.
The Prosecutor's Office has not specified what other documents the Ecuadorian investigators provided.
The Ecuadorian daily El Comercio described Silva-Koniuszek as a well-known figure from the southwestern province of Santa Elena. She oversaw the La Integridad foundation, which provided humanitarian aid, protected human rights, and combatted corruption. She shed light on graft cases involving money laundering, land trafficking, and the sale of public municipal lands in the province, and uncovered nepotism in state-run institutions. Moreover, she sought to disclose the cause of death of a journalist involved in unmasking the graft case.
Chief of local non-government human rights organisation Mochica Sumpa, Alfonso Ortiza, said following the activist's death that she had warned Ecuadorian authorities of an imminent danger to her life months before she was found dead and had requested state protection. Ultimately, no such protection was provided. (PAP)
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