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A joint campaign of the Polish media entitled “The Controlled Campaign” has been underway since the end of August. Its aim is to expose the lies used by politicians in their election campaigns. This operation is of particular significance, because this year the Poles are electing the parliament (September 25th) and the president (October 9th– I round, Octomer 23rd – II round). (23-SEP-05)

Between the 13th and the 15th of September, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights hosted a visit of 11 attorneys from Dniepropietrowsk, Ukraine. They belonged to the Foundation of Constitutional and Civil Rights, and to the District Association of Attorneys. (23-SEP-05)

On the 7th of September, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers selected three candidates for the post of Commissioner for Human Rights. One of them is Marek Antoni Nowicki, president of the Helsinki foundation for Human Rights since November 2003. (16-SEP-05)

Last Saturday, that is August 27th, Lukashenko “ultimately dissolved” the issue of Poles in the Republic of Belarus by delegalizing the Board of the Association of Poles in the Republic of Belarus (APB), which was democratically elected in March, and appointing new Association authorities, obedient towards the President. (02-SEP-05)

Last week, the head of the Campaign Against Homophobia – a Polish gay and lesbian organization – was fined by the court for his statement, which, according to the court, was aimed at offending Catholics. Lawyers have doubts as to the course chosen for making the verdict and the qualification of the offence itself. (12-AUG-05)

The situation of Poles in the Republic of Belarus is deteriorating. Following the seizure by the state authorities of the Grodno headquarters of the Association of Poles in the Republic of Belarus and the arrest of the activists and Polish and Belarusian journalists that were present there on 27 July, this week consecutive members of the Association’s authorities were placed under arrest. (05-AUG-05)

A Letter from the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in the Republic of Poland to the International Helsinki Federation regarding the situation of the Association of Poles in the Republic of Belarus (28-JULY-05)

On Friday, 22 July 2005, The Polish Senate refused to give its consent for the nomination of Prof. Andrzej Rzepliñski for the post of Ombudsman. This means that the former Ombudsman – Prof. Andrzej Zoll – will continue to serve this function until the new Parliament, which will be chosen during the October elections, makes the decision to appoint a new Ombudsman. (22-JULY-05)

On Thursday, June 30, the Sejm adopted amendments to the Acts on Advocature (the Bar), Legal Advisers and Public Notaries. After over two years of political tactics within the Sejm, it was finally possible to introduce greater access to legal professions. (04-JULY-05)