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Poland opposes the Day Against the Death Penalty
Republic of Poland, as the only European Union country, opposes the establishment of the Day Against the Death Penalty. Information about Poland’s position has been reported by diplomatic sources in Brussels. The idea of establishing this day was put forward by the European Commission. (08-SEP-07)
A grade in religion on the school report card
During the current school year in the Republic of Poland, the grade point average of a student participating in religion classes will include the grade from this subject. About 10% (according to the Roman Catholic Church 90% of all students from above elementary school level attend these classes) of students, e.g. grammar school students, will not have the opportunity to change (improve) their grade point average due to the lack of an alternative (e.g. ethics classes). (31-AUG-07)
Poles before the European Court of Human Rights
Poles are now seeking help in Strasbourg in nearly every domain. As regards the number of cases, we are in second place, just behind the Russian Federation. Citizens most often complain about excessive duration of remand and proceedings that go on for years. In recent years, the number of complaints has risen: from 66 in 2004 to 256 in 2006. (23-AUG-07)
Refugee status for Iraqis cooperating with Polish armed forces?
Recently, you might have read in the Polish press that the authorities of Denmark, which soon plans to withdraw its troops stationing in Iraq, have brought home around 60 Iraqi interpreters and other workers employed by the Danish armed forces in Iraq, along with their families. Most of these people are to receive refugee status in Denmark. (16-AUG-07)
Secret CIA prisons in Poland?
On 7 August 2007 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights addressed to the Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski an open letter regarding the issue of serious allegations made against Republic of Poland concerning its involvement in a network of secret CIA prisons in Europe. The Foundation is deeply concerned by the Polish government´s inappropriate position towards that problem. (08-AUG-07)
Problem of mandatory psychiatric observations
On 30 July 2007, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Precedent Case Program organized a debate on the need to amend the criminal code of procedure provisions concerning mandatory psychiatric observation of criminal defendants as part of criminal proceedings. (02-AUG-07)
Discussion over the statutory template for the lustration declaration
On 11 May 2007, the Constitutional Tribunal in the Republic of Poland ruled the partial inconsistency of the new lustration law with the Constitution. On 18 June, a written justification of this verdict was published, in which the CT inter alia called into question the statutory template for the lustration declaration. On 13 July, the Ombudsman – Janusz Kochanowski (right) took position on this issue. (28-JUL-07)
Jedwabne-Srebrenica, meeting in memoriam
On 9 July 2007, the Group Against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia VIRIDARIUM organized a meeting at the headquarters of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights devoted to the anniversaries of two tragic events – the manslaughter in Jedwabne (10 July 1941) and the massacre in Srebrenica (11 July 1995). The meeting was lead by Halina Bortnowska (right).(13-JUL-07)
New law on the Polish Constitutional Tribunal?
HFHR comments concern the draft submitted on 29 June 2007 by a group of “Law and Justice” party deputies. That recent proposed amendments to the Law dated 1 August 1997 on the Constitutional Tribunal (Dz.U. [Journal of Law] of 1997, No. 102, pos. 643 as later amended; hereafter the “Law”) appear in the public discourse what may have negativ impact on Tribunal´s constitutional mission.As such, HFHR deem it necessary to express its position. (9-JUL-07)