On 8 March the US Department of State published a report concerning the observance of human rights in Poland in 2005. According to this report Poland is a country in which civil rights are generally being observed, there are however certain areas, in which violations do occur. (17-MAR-06)
Written by Marta Lempicka/HRH Warsaw
The US government pointed out the following problems: poor prison conditions, occasional lengthy pretrial detention, a poorly functioning judicial system, restrictions on freedom of speech and of the press, discrimination against women in the labour market, the sexual exploitations of children, trafficking in women and children, societal discrimination and violence against ethnic minorities and violations of workers’ rights and antiunion discrimination.
Overcrowding of prisons and detention centers and insufficiency of medical treatment were the chief problems experienced by the prisoners. The authors of the report cite data provided by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, according to which there were approximately 83 thousand prisoners in Poland, while the prisons’ estimated capacity is 50 thousand.
The report draws attention to restrictions to the freedom of speech, particularly the issue of fines and imprisonment for publicly insulting or humiliating a constitutional institution, a public functionary and religious feelings. There is mention here of the case of artist Dorota Nieznalska, who was punished for offending religious feelings by placing a photograph of male genitals on a Christian cross.
The Department of State points out that despite the fact that the law prohibits the discrimination of employees because of membership in trade unions, employers (particularly those from the private sector) discriminate against workers who attempt to organize or join trade unions. An example of such actions is the situation surrounding S³awomir Zagrajka, the chairman of the Solidarity Trade Union at Frito Lay. He was fired because, according to the company’s management, he overstated the number of union members to obtain a union position.
