An intensive smear campaign continued throughout the year against judges defending the rule of law by state media and on social media. Eastern Policy. The governing Law and Justice party, which has implemented the changes undermining the independence of the judiciary and whose members have been increasingly using rhetoric targeting minorities, won parliamentary elections in October, retaining its majority in the lower chamber (Sejm) but losing to the opposition in the Senate. Since its election in 2015, Poland’s governing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party, now in its second term, has endeavoured to systematically undermine democracy and human rights. On 24 October, a district court in Warsaw quashed all charges against them, stating that they had the right to protest peacefully and express their views against fascism. The mayor was known for his support of LGBTI rights and openness towards refugees and migrants. Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation is amongst the 13 Polish atheist, humanist and secular civil society organizations who signed a letter ahead of the debate which took place in the European Parliament on 14 September on the situation in Poland. Our flagship publication, recording discrimination against the non-religious globally, Learn more about the work of Humanists International, How we’re working to change the world for the better, Want to help? Privacy Policy In 2019, Humanists International used its attendance at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw – Europe’s largest human rights conference – to highlight threats to gender equality and the rights of women in Poland. ” map created by local activists (shown below), over a third of the country has now effectively become an “LGBTI-free zone.” While the resolutions themselves are without legal effect, they nonetheless send a menacing symbolic message to the LGBTI community: “you are not welcome here”. This map lists the number of human rights cases examined by the Committee in 2020. "We also do monitoring of conditions for youngsters in detention centers, which are pretty terrible, and … The president and the Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister share executive power. The case against Poland was brought by two men, Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, a Saudi-born Palestinian known as Abu Zubaydah, and Saudi national Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. Learn more about the Committee's work. - Human Rights Violations in Poland 1983-1986, A Report by the Polish Helsinki Committee for the Helsinki Review Conference in Vienna 1986, (New York: The U.S. Helsinki Watch Committee). Amnesty International has responded that "Human rights violations hinder, rather than facilitate, responses to public health emergencies and undercut their efficiency." It is apparent that breaches of the rule of law in Poland, materialised in the longstanding concerns regarding Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal, could lead to further violations of other Article 2 TEU values: human rights, human dignity, equality and non-discrimination. The criminal investigation into Poland's co-operation with the CIA and the hosting of a secret detention site was still pending. Learn more about the rational, ethical worldview that is humanism, Discover a world of humanism: find your nearest group or national organization, Meet the staff, representatives and Board of Humanists International, Recognizing achievement in the worldwide humanist movement, You can reach Humanists International here, Young Humanists International is our youth section, for 18 to 35-year-olds. The case was pending at the end of the year. Other continents. The State has countered increasing grassroots activism with arrests and violence. Poland’s government has set up a new Department of European Identity with the aim of protecting “human rights and fundamental freedoms”. In September, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) called on the government to take measures to end extreme poverty among Roma, and to end forced evictions of Roma and housing demolitions. Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation is amongst the 13 Polish atheist, humanist and secular civil society organizations who signed. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. The image had been posted around the town of Płock the previous month. According to police estimates, around 1,000 participants were attacked by roughly 4,000 counter-protesters who threw fire crackers, cobblestones and eggs, shouted insults and physically assaulted some of the marchers. For over four years, and despite the Article 7 proceedings launched by the European Commission against Poland in 2017, the PiS party has stopped at nothing to undermine judicial independence and politicize its courts of law. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . The PiS government also recently announced its intention to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women. Security … An interim decision from the ECJ from December 2018 had already ordered the Polish authorities to restore the Supreme Court to its composition before the law came into force. Two cases were communicated by the European Court of Human Rights to the Polish government for response. The statement focused on the widespread human rights violations against lawyers in Turkey since the attempted coup in July 2016, and the ongoing ‘state-led campaign of intimidation and harassment’ against judges in Poland. Humanists International has followed Poland’s turn toward authoritarian illiberalism and the concurrent rise of religious conservatism with increasing concern. Will Europe Sit Back? Public Diplomacy. Subject: Human rights violations in Poland As of 22 October 2020, it will be virtually impossible for women in Poland to terminate a pregnancy. Just like in her 2018 decision, she argued that there was no “public interest” to justify public prosecution into the case. have adopted resolutions rejecting “LGBTI propaganda” and declaring themselves to be “pro family”. IBAHRI oral statement on Poland to … Nina Sankari, Vice President of Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation, said the following: “We condemn increasing violations of citizen’s rights in Poland, i.e.   |   In 2000 journalist Jacek Dlugolecki was convicted of insulting a … Poland Further Erodes Women’s Rights, Defies EU Principles. Earlier this month, Poland’s Catholic episcopate, the establishment of conversion clinics to help LGBTI people to “regain their natural sexual orientation.” Same-sex marriage is, With PiS exercising control over both the presidency and the government, the most effective opposition so far has come not from the government, but from grassroots activists. This article is more than 8 years old. Also in June, the Parliament adopted an amendment to the Criminal Code. If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you. In September, the CERD expressed concerns over reports that asylum-seekers have been denied entry to Poland or denied access to asylum procedures by border guards. Humanists International express its concerns for the human rights situation in Poland and stands with all victims of discrimination in the country. PiS has long made the ‘defence of Christian principles’ a key aspect of its public policy. In February, state TV took legal action against him demanding an apology after he stated that they had been engaged in possible hate speech against the Mayor of Gdańsk. A person with a public platform can be fined and even jailed for promoting anti-government activity, amorality and disrespect for religion. Yet, the court is failing to reduce human rights violations in the Kurdish region. In February the European Court of Human Rights found that Poland had violated the right to freedom of expression. The government plenipotentiary for civil society and equal treatment has a mandate to counter discrimination and promote equal opportunity for all. In light of the Polish government’s continued demonization of the LGBTI community, and its recent attacks on sexual and reproductive rights, judicial independence and the rule of law, Humanists International shares two statements from our Polish Members, and a letter signed by a coalition of Polish atheist, humanist and secular civil society organizations, calling for the restoration of democratic and secular values, accountability for police abuses and an end to human rights violations in Poland. In June, the ECJ ruled that the Law on the Supreme Court, which attempted to oust one third of the court’s judges, was in breach of EU law. HRC can also issue resolutions condemning human rights abuses and calling states for change. The courts continued to uphold the rights of peaceful protesters, including those who engaged in civil disobedience. Kaja Bryx, Vice-President of the European Humanist Federation and President of Polish Rationalist Association, issued the following statement in response to recent events: “When you hear about human rights violations in Poland, barely three decades after the Solidarity movement won freedom and democracy for us, you ask yourself what exactly went wrong here. In a ruling that has sparked outrage across the country and indeed Europe, the Constitutional Court held that abortion due to foetal defects was ‘unconstitutional’. which took place in the European Parliament on 14 September on the situation in Poland. “We have problems with prison conditions, and I don’t mean just typical prisons and jails,” Bodnar continued. to impose a near-total ban on all legal abortions. The Human Rights Council voted 23-2 with 22 abstentions on the resolution that calls on the UN human rights chief to look into the situation of rights in Belarus and report back by year-end. Humanist International has a strategic focus on a range of issues in our advocacy and campaigns work. In August, 48 protestors were detained and others met with violence and homophobic slurs from the police during a peaceful protest in Warsaw. Baltic Sea. In February, a Warsaw judge ordered the re-opening of an investigation into the case of 14 women who alleged they had been verbally and physically attacked when they unfurled a banner saying “Fascism Stop” during the Independence Day march in Warsaw in November 2017. Dr Jarosław Szymczyk, to launch an internal investigation in regards to the procedural abuses and reported Human Rights violations at Warsaw police stations on 7 and 8 August and take appropriate action against the responsible police officers without delay. In a separate case on 19 November, the ECJ ruled that the new Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, whose members were elected by the new judicial council, must meet the requirement of independence and impartiality. “We also do monitoring of conditions for youngsters in detention centers, which are pretty terrible, and … Although Poland is one of the 127 UN member states who voted for the adoption of the resolution on the protection of the HRDs during the 70th UN General Assembly, the state’s constitutional guarantees for respect of international human rights law, as well as the conditions for work of HRDs have been significantly threatened with the introduction of several restrictive legislative changes since Autumn … en es fr. Both Hungary and Poland are at the forefront of criticism for perceived attacks on everything from attacks on the judiciary, media freedom and the rule of law to abortion and LGBTI rights. Judges who have spoken out against the threats to judicial independence, are frequently. During the COVID-19 pandemic, human rights violations including censorship, discrimination, arbitrary detention and xenophobia were reported from different parts of the world. In addition to the erosion of fundamental human rights, democracy and the rule of law continues to deteriorate in the Polish state. Open Letter European Union. In May, activist Elżbieta Podleśna was arrested and detained for several hours on suspicion of “offending religious beliefs” – a charge carrying up to two years’ imprisonment – after police claimed that they had found copies of posters depicting the Virgin Mary with her halo in the rainbow colours of the LGBTQ flag. It referred the case to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). POLAND 2018 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT . state-led campaigns of intimidation, disciplinary proceedings and criminal charges. In October, the EC concluded that the government’s response to its concerns that the new disciplinary regime undermines the independence of judges, was unsatisfactory. The Human Rights Commissioner, Adam Bodnar, was targeted by officials and state media several times during the year. On 20 December, the lower chamber of the Parliament adopted another amendment further undermining judicial independence. The searchable archive of past and present policy – since 1952! Human Rights Defender – Poland Contact details Postal address: Al. Polish Justice Minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, who announced that the Polish Governement is planning on withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention. The courts dropped charges against protesters who, among others, climbed through metal barriers that the police used to prevent them accessing the area around parliament in 2017. Human rights violations in EU countries double in five years. Judges who have spoken out against the threats to judicial independence, are frequently threatened with state-led campaigns of intimidation, disciplinary proceedings and criminal charges. However, these restrictions are rarely enforced. Dozens of LGBTI activists have been arrested on the basis of an overly broad blasphemy law after a campaign involving the placement of rainbow flags on prominent public monuments, in violation of their rights of freedom of expression. Dozens of LGBTI activists have been arrested on the basis of an overly broad, after a campaign involving the placement of rainbow flags on prominent public monuments, in violation of their rights of freedom of expression. PiS has long made the ‘defence of Christian principles’ a key aspect of its public policy. The bill has for the moment been shelved, but the danger of it resurfacing is ever-present. Delbos-Corfield says that Hungary, in particular, is guilty of attacks on academic and media freedom and the rights of NGOs operating in the country. Foreign economic policy. The “Atlas of Hate”, an interactive map delineating Poland’s “LGBT-free zones” (atlasnienawisci.pl). Here are seven facts about human rights in Poland: Speech is free in Poland, but there are some limitations. The State has countered increasing grassroots activism with arrests and violence. In the majority of cases, the courts upheld the rights of the protesters to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. threats to gender equality and the rights of women in Poland. We also call upon the members of the Law and Justice party who fought for a free and democratic Poland over 30 years ago, to remember who they were and what they fought for, to honour this legacy and defend the same values again, before it’s too late.”. Human rights violations are at the root causes of conflict and insecurity which, in turn, invariably result in further violations of human rights. The human rights defender presents an annual report to the Sejm on the state of human rights and civic freedom in the country. Poland is a republic with a multiparty democracy. You can use this tool to change your cookie settings. Throughout the year, leading public figures, including politicians and media officials, frequently made discriminatory statements targeting minorities, including LGBTI people and Jews. Human rights in Poland are enumerated in the second chapter of the Constitution. On July 9 2019 twenty-two countries at the United Nations’ top human rights body issued a joint statement urging China to end its mass arbitrary detentions and related violations against Muslims in the Xinjiang region. Up to 64 local councils across Poland adopted resolutions declaring their … Europe. Recent brutal actions of police against LGBT protesters in Warsaw are qualified as degrading and inhuman treatment in the Final Report of the Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture. The bill has for the moment been shelved, but the danger of it resurfacing is ever-present. The PiS government also recently announced its intention to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women, claiming that it “makes a number of extreme leftist assumptions”. Restitution of works of art. It introduced among other things the penalty of life imprisonment without possibility of parole, contravening international human rights obligations. The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is the only international mechanism with the remit of protecting and defending MPs suffering human right violations. Poland is a party to several international agreements relevant to human rights, including the European Convention on Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Helsinki Accords, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Its head has announced that among his plans is “banning LGBT ideology”, and critics warn that the aim of the body is to pursue a conservative “moral crusade”, including by restricting women’s and LGBT rights. On 5 December, the Supreme Court ruled that the new National Council of the Judiciary was appointed in a manner that does not guarantee its independence. WordPress theme developer - whois: Andy White London. Here’s how you can participate in the humanist movement, Since its election in 2015, Poland’s governing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party, now in its second term, has endeavoured to systematically undermine democracy and human rights. Refunds of donations. In July, amid widespread anti-LGBTI rhetoric from politicians and the media, the first LGBTI pride march took place in the town of Białystok. The Polish government has not limited itself to attacks on LGBTI rights, but has pursued policies to undermine women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, and democracy in general, too. Polish aid. - 1984 Violations of Human Rights in Poland , A report by the Polish Helsinki Committee, (New York: Committee in Support of Solidarity, 1985). Up to 64 local councils across Poland adopted resolutions declaring their opposition to “LGBT ideology” in “defence of families [or] the rights of Catholics”. Dozens of judges who spoke out against those changes faced disciplinary proceedings. 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