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On 4 April, a coalition of three organizations – The Stefan Batory Foundation, The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and The Polish Section of the International Commission of Jurists appealed to the Polish Sejm and legal circles for transparency in electing judges for the Polish Constitutional Tribunal. (06-APR-07)

On 20 March, the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment in the case of Alicja Tysiac, right, vs. Republic of Poland. The Court announced that Republic of Poland violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights defining the right to respect for family life. It awarded her damages in the amount of 25,000 EUR, as well as returned the costs of proceedings in the amount of 14,000 EUR. (24-MAR-07)

The Polish Ministry of National Education (MEN) has new ideas aimed at protecting students against the so called “propaganda of homosexuality”. They include the concept of dismissing homosexually-oriented teachers. Polish organizations involved in protecting the rights of homosexuals are lodging protests and Human Rights Watch is writing a letter to the Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, right, concerning the violation of the rights and liberties of individuals belonging to sexual minorities. (23-MAR-07)

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights has prepared a short overview of the situation in Republic of Poland. Republic of Poland remains a relatively homogenous country ethnically and racially. According to the General Census, in 2002, Poland´s population was 38 230 thousand, of which 96,74% declared their nationality to be Polish. However, since accession to the European Union, the number of foreigners and migrants settling in the Republic of Poland has been increasing. Agnieszka Mikulska, right, of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, reports. (21-MAR-07)
 

‘The Act of disclosing information regarding security services documents from 1944-1990 and the contents of those documents [“Act”] came into effect 15 March 2006. This Act violates human rights and fundamental freedoms in numerous ways.’ writes the Helsinki Committee in Poland in its latest position regarding the lustration process. (21-MAR-07)

´The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights would like to express its deep concern with respect to the Polish Government’s stance adopted at a Common Conference of the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Cluster Munitions Coalition on the prohibition of the use and production of cluster munitions (Oslo Conference on Cluster Munitions), held on 22-23 February 2007.´ writes Mr Marek Antoni Nowicki President of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights to the Polish Prime Minister. (16-MAR-07)

´The formation of the “State of National Solidarity” Commission by the Polish Sejm, with the votes of the ruling coalition, is a sign of disrespect for the adopted standards and parliamentary procedures. Avoidance of substantial discussions within the confines of permanent, specialized commissions jeopardizes the quality of the instituted law and seems to testify to a disrespect for knowledge and reason.´ states the Helsinki Committee in Poland. (14-MAR-07)

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights invites everyone to visit its “film library”. The HFHR has decided to make the educational films regarding human rights and liberties produced by the Foundation, or with its considerable contribution, available to public. (09-MAR-07)

The Young Journalists’ Association “POLIS” and the Viridarium Group are organizing a journalist competition entitled: “TEN INNY”. The competition is carried out under the auspices of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and within the framework of the Council of Europe Campaign “All different-all equal”. (03-MAR-07)