Poland: Amnesty International (AI) slams Poland for undermining freedom of assembly

Protest in Poland against Human Rights abuses by Government

Rights group AI has published a damning report into measures taken by the Law and Justice government that have weakened the rule of law in Poland. In particular it called on Warsaw to respect the right to free assembly.

The report "Poland: on the streets to defend human rights" focuses on several demonstrations against the government's policies since late 2015, when the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government came into office.

Amnesty alleges Polish police and justice authorities have suppressed anti-government protesters. The report was based on observations by Amnesty monitors at some protests and interviews with protesters.

The report published on Thursday notes that Polish authorities have carried out prolonged ID checks of protesters, depriving them of their freedom of movement.

"The Polish government is trying to instill fear in those who want to peacefully protest," Barbora Cernusakova, a researcher with Amnesty International who monitors Poland, said.

"[It] is cracking down on peaceful protesters in a blatant attempt to dissuade further protests," amnesty said in a report published on Thursday.

Note EU-Digest: "Lech Wałęsa, who co-founded and headed the polish Solidarity movement, the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, and who eventually freed his country from its Russian occupation, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland from 1990 to 1995. Wałęsa certainly can't be happy about the political direction Poland is taking under its new ultra-conservative leadership." 

Read more: Amnesty International (AI) slams Poland for undermining freedom of assembly | News | DW | 19.10.2017