Z bigniew Siemitkowski, head of the Polish Intelligence Agency from 2002 to 2004, is confirmed to be facing criminal charges for operating a secret CIA prison during his term. We know that black sites have been around for decades. But as people are increasingly conscious of human rights, perhaps it is time for intelligence agencies to rethink their position on the international scene.

Allegedly interrogating suspected terrorists by torturing prisoners using techniques like waterboarding, the detention facility has long been under scrutiny from the U.N. and the Council of Europe. Yet, this is the very first initiative of Polish prosecutors to investigate and verify power abuse of the former Polish administration. Further, the CIA did not deny the existence of its secret detention program but refused to comment further.

This incident marks the start of another era in international politics. While many states still heavily rely on information obtained in black sites, people are aware of these facilities and getting restless. Humanitarian organizations, judiciaries and the media are “taking the Constitution seriously,” as essayist Walter Berns would put it. And they will not be kept silent.

Even Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk himself broke the traditional taboo subject of sensitive foreign relations and commented that “Poland won’t be a country anymore where politicians, even if they do it with the world’s largest superpower, can do a deal under the table and it won’t be exposed.”

In the years after the Cold War, the United States has used up a lot of its trust capital on ethical issues worldwide. Many small European countries have been following the U.S.’s cue. However, despite the fact that it remains a critical centerpiece of the international scene, these states are beginning to recognize the unhealthy aspects of their relationships with the U.S. and refuse to allow themselves to be steered into awkward positions.

There is no doubt that keeping secrets is going to be difficult but does that mean everything should be out in the open? Short answer: no.

We are talking about serious security issues that are at stake. One must not forget that prisoners in detention facilities are potential hazards to the people. Even iconic democracy-fighter, former Polish President Lech Walesa, agrees that “this is war and war has its particular rules.” Simply because there is an ethical problem in the process does not justify allowing exponentially more detrimental problems to exist.

The key problem is therefore how to handle such matters.

Rule of thumb: discreetly.

With the detention program, Wikileaks and many other scandals that American intelligence services have been through in recent years, there is no doubt that the intelligence services are getting bad press. But there is dirty work that they must do to let us sleep soundly at night. After the hullabaloo that they have stirred up, it is time to shy away from the limelight and make more prudent decisions. The world is not going to adapt to intelligence, so intelligence will have to work around the world. After all, it’s all about good PR and getting things done these days.