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The Minorities Act finally ready
On 4th of November the Polish Sejm passed the Act on National Minorities, which had been in the making for 11 years. The act contains a catalogue of the rights of the people belonging to minorities, which are already guaranteed by other Polish legal acts. The right to use a minority language as a auxiliary language at offices of administration, which has been the aim of the exertions of minority circle members in the Republic of Poland, was not included in the act. (08-11-04)
On Polish human rights situation in Geneva
Today experts from the UN Human Rights Committee are going through Poland´s periodic report on the realization of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In their prepared counter-reports, non-government organizations reproached the government first and foremost for discontinuing cases concerning beating up by the police, the reproductive policy, which brought wretched results, as well as homophobia. (28-OCT-04)
Can we improve the Polish judiciary?
“The Efficient Court. A Collection of Good Practices” is the title of a book created over several years by a group of Polish judges. The group acted as part of the Association of Polish Judges “Iustitia”, in co-operation with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. The book contains a series of verified ideas for resolving the problems of the Polish administration of justice. (22-OCT-04)
Cuba is our problem too
From September there is an opportunity to see an exhibition at the Warsaw University Library of photographs by Cuban women entitled “This is our problem too”. (06-SEP-04)
New film about the 1999 bomb blast in Moscow
On the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attack in Moscow, the Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and other NGO´s and cultural institutions worldwide have prepared screenings of Andrej Niekrasow´s film “Disbelief”, combined with public debates on the topic of the attack´s influence on the war in the Chechen Republic. (03-SEP-04)
The 60th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising
On August 1st, 60 years will pass since the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, during which the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and the residents of Warsaw, which was occupied by the Nazis, began the tragically concluded independence impulse. A historical debate continues until this day about why the fighters could not count on the assistance of their allies: the Allies and the Red Army. (30-JULY-04)
About the death penalty in Poland
The brutal murder of a young woman enlivens the discussion concerning the restoration of the death penalty as the extreme measure of improving the state of public order in the Republic of Poland. The Law and Justice, one of the main political parties, sponsors the idea. Meanwhile, human rights organizations are protesting against such a solution. (22-JULY-04)
Who painted over the billboards with Dalai Lama?
During the night before the arrival of the Chinese leader, Hu Jintao, in the Republic of Poland, “unknown perpetrators” painted over the billboards, presenting the picture of Dalai Lama and the flag of Tibet, along the route of the Chinese delegation. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and the Students for Free Tibet prepared the billboards. (16-JULY-04)
Jacek Kuron is dead
Jacek Kuron, one of the most outstanding Polish politicians and social activists, died on June 17. He was 70 years old. He was a member of the group of co-founders and main activists of the Polish democratic opposition. Because of his intransigence, courage and devotion, he enjoyed the greatest social respect and trust among all Polish politicians. (29-JUN-04)