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A single diversion from democratic principles does not necessarily make a Government authoritarian, but what about a year of continually undermining democratic principles? To understand events in Poland, one must not just judge individual incidents, as is often the case in human rights work, but instead look at the way the different legislative changes come together and the picture this combination creates.

Polish authorities have proposed restrictive amendments to the law on assemblies. HRHF sees this law as retaliation against those protesting in the past year against government policies. It creates a hurdle for organisers critical of the government and the Church, while ensuring that their own supporters are able to protest.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has expressed concern about Poland’s current situation leading to human rights problems related to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, rights of minorities, gender and sexual reproductive rights, as well as media rights.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee reviewed the human rights situation of Polandon 17–18 October. HRHF’s Polish partners, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR) delivered a statement on Poland during the opening of the session.

On Monday 3 October, in many Polish cities, women and men protested against a draft law that would introduce a complete ban on abortion. Protesters, dressed in black, have united under the slogan “Black protest” and the hashtag #czarnyprotest (meaning black protest). Our colleagues at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights(HFHR), based in Warsaw, reported on the situation.

On Wednesday 14, a resolution on Poland was adopted with 510 to 160 votes with 29 abstentions, but a solution to developments in Poland referred to as the constitutional crisis remains unclear as the deadline given to the authorities by the Commission approaches.

On the 12 of July at the UN, high-level representatives from States, civil society and the private sector discussed the human rights situation in the world. There was also a first televised live debate with the candidates for Secretary General at the United Nations, which was open for questions from the public.

Civil society and national and international bodies have expressed concern at recent reforms in Poland and their impact on the rule of law. These reforms include changes to the functioning of the Constitutional Court, a law granting government control over TV and radio, a law granting additional powers of surveillance, and the merging of the functions of the Justice Minister and the formerly independent Prosecutor General.

318 Polish non-governmental organizations have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister Beata Szydło, urging her to take action in response to verbal abuse and violent physical attacks on NGOs and activists, which recently took place in Warsaw.