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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)

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)

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)

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)
 

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)
 

Helsinki Committee in Poland, on July 3, 2007 took a position on the stance of the Polish authorities regarding the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The HC members wrote:”The Helsinki Committee was saddened and anxious to learn that the Polish delegation at the Brussels Summit undertook initiatives clearly intended to take away from citizens in the Republic of Poland a portion of the rights that would be guaranteed under the Charter.” (05-JUL-07)

From 19 to 26 June, protest of nurses and midwives was held outside and inside the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw. The nurses demanded raises in salaries and reforms of the health service. The Trade Unions Forum judged that there had been a violation of the fundamental civil rights and freedoms of four women protesting inside the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. (28-JUNE-07)

The Civil Commission of Good Will initiated its activity on 21 June on a press conference in the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights headquarters. Its members include underground opposition activists from the period of the Polish People’s Republic, historians, lawyers as well as clergymen. The Commission wants to bring aid to individuals accused of cooperation with the secret service of the Polish People’s Republic, who have a sense of wrong and injustice in connection with the publication of information regarding their past. (25-JUNE-07)

A new Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights project entitled “Strengthening the rule of law and human rights protection in the Republic of Poland through involvement of business entities, civil society groups and individuals in strategic litigation activities” was inaugurated on 18 June during a conference that included several dozen representatives from the world of science, business, media and nongovernmental organizations. (20-JUNE-07)