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X.Y. and Z.W. submitted a petition to the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament arguing that Poland violated their rights as European Union citizens. Petitioners noted that Poland’s refusal to enter in the Polish register of births, deaths and marriages the information about them concluding a civil partnership abroad had violated their right to a family life and free movement of persons.

Last week in Geneva, the Polish Government provided explanations to the UN Committee Against Torture regarding the periodic report on the implementation of the Convention against Torture. Wojciech Wegrzyn, Under-secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice led the Polish ten-member delegation.

The Constitutional Tribunal held on 29 October 2013 that internal regulations of guarded centres for foreigners which govern body searches were contrary to the Polish Constitution. The constitutional review was launched at the request of the Human Rights Defender.

In July, the HFHR inquired about actions taken by the Ministry of Interior in response to the reports regarding PRISM, a US surveillance programme. Replying to the inquiry, Piotr Stachańczyk, the Ministry’s Secretary of State, observed that the issue was the subject of a discussion within the EU and the negotiations between the EU and the US held in a special ad-hoc working group. In consequence of the above, the MI will base its further activities on both outcomes of the working group talks and decisions of other EU bodies involved in the issue.

Halina Bortnowska, Board member of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, was presented with the Professor Zbigniew Hołda Award.

The European Parliament adopted another resolution on alleged transportation and illegal detention of prisoners in European countries by the CIA. The Parliament expressed regret over the failure of the Council, Commission and the governments of the Member States, candidate states and associated countries, NATO, and the US authorities to implement the recommendations contained in the relevant resolution of 11 September 2012.

W.W., a convicted felon with a spine condition has been transferred many times from prisons to courts holding criminal trials. As a result of the transfers, his health has deteriorated. In consequence, W.W. decided to sue the State Treasury represented by the Chief Commissioner of the Police and Director General of the Prison Service.

On 10 October 2013, ten years passed since the death of Marek Nowicki, a human rights advocate, a superb teacher, the first President of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and, most of all, our great Friend.

The Cuban girl was born in 2010 in Poland but she acquired neither Polish nor Cuban citizenship. As a result, the girl was stateless for three years. According to Cuban law, proceedings leading to the acquisition of Cuban citizenship must take place in Cuba. The proceedings take at least three months and during the period at least one parent of the child must be present in Cuba.