Information on the recent challenges faced by human rights defenders and civil society in Poland 

Information on the recent challenges faced by human rights defenders and civil society in Poland
Content type:
Report
Publication date:
2016
Author / authors:

Zuzanna Warso, Piotr Godzisz, współpraca: Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska

Information on the recent challenges faced by human rights defenders and civil society in Poland

Overview of challenges faced by human rights defenders and civil society Prepared for the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defendersSince the end of last year, we observe and are victims of a number of disturbing trends, detrimental to the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Poland.

The governing majority concentrated its effort to block the work of the Constitutional Tribunal, by failing to appoint the judges elected by the previous parliament and by adopting laws aimed at paralysing the Constitutional Court. The constitutional crisis poses a serious threat to safeguarding the rule of law and the separation of powers.