List of Commissioners Ewa Łętowska Tadeusz Zieliński Adam Zieliński 1987–1992 1992–1996 1996–2000 Summary of the Report Summary of the Report on the Activity of the Ombudsman in Poland on the Activity Andrzej Zoll Janusz Kochanowski Irena Lipowicz 2000–2006 2006–2010 2010–2015 of the Ombudsman in Poland in 2017 Adam Bodnar from 2015 On 15 July 1987 Sejm passed the Act on the Commissioner for Human Rights On 1 January 1988 the Commissioner for Human Rights was established Commissioner for Human Rights 2017 al. Solidarności 77, 00-090 Warszawa CIVIC HELPLINE 800 676 676 www.rpo.gov.pl 17 Summary of the Report on the Activity of the Commissioner for Human Rights in 2017, with Comments on the Observance of Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms 1 COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS BULLETIN 2018, No 2 SOURCES Summary of the Report on the Activity of the Commissioner for Human Rights/Ombudsman in 2017, with Comments on the Observance of Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms Editor-in-chief: Stanisław Trociuk Edited by the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights: Irena Kumidor Translation: COMTEX JOANNA WYKRĘTOWICZ Published by: Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights al. Solidarności 77, 00-090 Warszawa www.rpo.gov.pl Helpline 800 676 676 © Copyright by Biuro Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich Warszawa 2018 ISSN 0860-7958 Submitted for typesetting in August 2018 Authorised for publication in August 2018 Edition: 250 copies Proofreading, printing and binding: Grafpol Agnieszka Blicharz-Krupińska ul. Czarnieckiego 1, 53-650 Wrocław tel. 507 096 545; mail: [email protected] 2 Table of contents Table of contents ................................................................................................. 3 Key civil rights issues in Poland ..................................................................... 5 Adam Bodnar, PhD, Commissioner for Human Rights Comments on the constitutional system of Poland ......................................... 7 Stanisław Trociuk, Deputy CHR Comments on the application of the principle of equal treatment .................. 9 Sylwia Spurek, PhD, Deputy CHR for Equal Treatment Prevention of torture and execution of punishment ..................................... 11 Hanna Machińska, PhD, Deputy CHR Human and civil freedoms, rights and obligations ....................................... 13 A. Equality before the law ......................................................................... 13 B. The principle of non-discrimination ...................................................... 14 C. Rights of national and ethnic minorities ................................................ 18 D. Right to diplomatic and consular protection ........................................... 19 Personal freedoms and rights ....................................................................... 20 A. Right to protection of life ..................................................................... 20 B. Prohibition of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment ................... 20 C. Personal inviolability and liberty .......................................................... 22 D. Right to human treatment ...................................................................... 22 E. Right to damages for unlawful deprivation of liberty ............................. 26 F. Nullum crimen sine lege ....................................................................... 26 G. Right of defence ................................................................................... 27 H. Right to court ....................................................................................... 29 I. Right to protection of private and family life, honour and good name ..... 33 J. Right to information autonomy ............................................................. 35 K. Freedom to move within the territory of the Republic of Poland ............. 36 L. Freedom of conscience and religion ...................................................... 36 M. Freedom of speech ................................................................................ 37 N. Right to asylum and refugee status ........................................................ 37 Political rights and freedoms ....................................................................... 40 A. Freedom of assembly ............................................................................ 40 B. Right to equal access to public service .................................................. 40 C. Right to access public information ........................................................ 41 D. Voting rights ........................................................................................ 41 3 Economic, social and cultural rights and freedoms ...................................... 43 A. Right to property .................................................................................. 43 B. Freedom of choice and exercise of a profession ..................................... 45 C. Employee rights ................................................................................... 46 D. Right to social security ......................................................................... 48 E. Right to healthcare ............................................................................... 51 F. Assistance provided to persons with disabilities ..................................... 54 G. Right to education ................................................................................ 55 H. Protection of the family ........................................................................ 56 I. Children’s rights ................................................................................... 58 J. Freedom of artistic expression and freedom of scientific research ........... 58 K. Ecological security and environmental protection .................................. 59 L. Housing policy and protection of tenants’ rights .................................... 60 M. Protection of consumer rights ............................................................... 61 Measures to protect freedoms and rights ..................................................... 64 A. Tort liability of public authority ............................................................ 64 B. Right to court ....................................................................................... 64 C. Right to two-instance court ................................................................... 65 Other normative standards .......................................................................... 66 A. Principle of the rule of law ................................................................... 66 B. Rules for imposing taxes and other public levies .................................... 66 Protection of the rights of soldiers and public officials ................................ 70 Mechanisms and methods of work of the Commissioner for Human Rights ...... 74 Close to people ......................................................................................... 74 Strategic litigation .................................................................................... 78 Cooperation with social partners ................................................................ 78 Educational activity of the CHR ................................................................ 82 Cooperation with other ombudsman bodies ................................................. 83 International-level activities of the CHR .................................................... 84 Statistical information and data ................................................................... 85 4 Key civil rights issues in Poland Adam Bodnar, PhD, Commissioner for Human Rights It is the duty of the Commissioner for Human Rights (CHR) to uphold human and civil rights and freedoms as provided for in the Constitution and other legal acts. This goal can only be achieved through good communication between the Commissioner and citizens. The Commissioner has to know what people need, what they expect and how the Commissioner can help them. It is good when this knowledge comes not only from letters and complaints submitted to the Commissioner’s office but also from direct meetings and conversations. On the other hand, the citizens should be properly informed about the activities of the Commis- sioner – what he does on an everyday basis, how he tries to solve the problems, where he sees the most serious threats to the citizens’ rights and freedoms. We analysed thoroughly the annual reports of the CHR from previous years. We decided that something should be changed because they have become too formal. Although they have always imparted factual knowledge about the activities of the Office and the situation in the country concerning respect for civil rights and freedoms, reading them was not made easy by their volume and structure. We decided to introduce comprehensive changes to the annual report for 2017, prepared under Article 212 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The citizens participating in July demonstrations to protect the independence of the judiciary showed clearly how much the Constitution matters to them and that they attach great importance to its understanding and observance, and to constitutional guarantees. Therefore, we tried to look at all the activ- ities of the CHR on the one hand, and on the situation concerning observance of human and civil rights and freedoms on the other hand, from the perspective of the specific provisions of the