Poland - Country monitoring - Commissioner for Human Rights

Statement

The Commissioner urges President of Poland to veto the amendments to the Medical Professions Act

22/07/2020 Strasbourg

“I regret that the amendments to Poland’s Medical Professions Act adopted on 16 July by the lower house of the Polish parliament, the Sejm, fail to explicitly oblige healthcare providers to refer patients to an alternative and willing provider in the event of the refusal of a medical service on...

Statement

Commissioner urges Poland’s Parliament to reject bills that restrict women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and children’s right to sexuality education

14/04/2020 Strasbourg

“It is with dismay that I have learned that Poland’s Parliament’s lower house plans to resume this week the examination of two citizens’ bills that aim to restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortion care and children’s right to sexuality education. I urge the Parliament to reject both...

Rule 9

The Polish authorities need to take adequate measures to ensure access to lawful abortion

11/02/2020 Strasbourg

The Commissioner published today her submission to the Committee of Ministers in the context of the supervision of the execution of the judgments handed down by the European Court of Human Rights in three cases against Poland. Each of these cases relates to one of the three different situations...

Letter

The Commissioner calls on the Polish Senate to reject bill which further curtails judges' and prosecutors' independence and freedom of expression

13/01/2020 Strasbourg

The Commissioner published today a letter addressed to the Marshal of the Senate of Poland in which she recommends rejecting the bill adopted by the Sejm on 20 December 2019. The Commissioner considers that the bill has far-reaching negative implications for the work of the judiciary in Poland,...

Country visit report

Poland’s authorities should shield judges from pressure, actively protect women’s rights and step up policies for gender equality

28/06/2019 Strasbourg

Today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published a report on the visit to Poland she carried out from 11 to 15 March 2019. The report focuses on the independence of the judiciary and the prosecution service, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, gender...

Letter

The Commissioner regrets the adoption by the Polish Sejm and Senate of legislation on life imprisonment which is contrary to the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights

27/05/2019 Strasbourg

The Commissioner regrets that the Polish Sejm and Senate adopted last week amendments to the Criminal Code, despite the concerns she had raised with regard to these amendments in a letter of 22 May 2019 addressed to the Marshal of the Senate of Poland, Stanisław Karczewski, published today. “The...

Country visit

Poland should restore necessary guarantees for independence of judges and prosecutors, prevent regression on women’s rights and combat gender stereotypes

15/03/2019 Warsaw

“Modern European democracies cannot function without truly independent judiciaries. Poland’s authorities should take further steps to restore full independence of the judiciary and act to resolve discord and deadlock that continue to affect the functioning and the credibility of some of the...

Statement

Commissioner urges Poland’s Parliament to reject bill which restricts access to abortion care

23/03/2018 Strasbourg

"I am deeply concerned to learn that this week the Polish Sejm pursued the examination of a bill called “Stop Abortion”, prepared by a group of citizens", said Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. "Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe,...

Letter

Commissioner concerned about human rights backsliding in Poland

06/02/2018 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Mateusz Morawiecki, published today, the Commissioner raises concerns over recent developments affecting the independence of the judiciary; women’s access to sexual and reproductive rights; the deteriorating environment for NGOs active in...

Keynote speech at the First Congress on Human Rights in Warsaw