Gloss on the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Gdańsk of 9 August 2019, II AKa 60/19

Abstract

The commentary concerns the interpretation of the statutory features of the offence under Article 258 of the Criminal Code. The author shares the view of the Court of Appeal in Gdańsk that the period of imprisonment does not have to interrupt the offender’s membership in an organised criminal group. The author also points out that the formal nature of the offence of participation in an organised criminal group does not mean that such participation may also be a passive one. However, a detailed interpretation of the very concept of ‘participation’ speaks in favour of accepting such a broad interpretation of this statutory feature of this offence. There is also no doubt about the sustained nature of the offence under Article 258 § 1 CC.