July, 22nd, 2017 Warsaw
Hon. Andrzej Duda
President of the Republic of Poland
Dear Mr. President,
We, the undersigned representatives of 52 non-governmental organisations from
across the world hereby appeal to you to veto three acts regarding the functioning of
the justice system in Poland.
The Acts concerning the National Council of the Judiciary in Poland, common courts and the Supreme Court altogether shatter the independence of the judiciary and seriously breach the rule of the separation of powers – fundamental to democratic states ruled by law.
For many of us activists working for human rights and democratisation, Poland used to be a beacon of a peaceful transition to the rule of law and protection of fundamental freedoms. The constitutional crisis developing since 2015 has seriously undermined the role of Poland as a leader of democratic changes in the region.
We appeal to you, Mr. President, not to disregard the heritage of the Polish fight for freedom and basic rights. At the moment, the fate of the right to a fair trial by an independent court for everybody under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Poland depends on you.
Sincerely,
Maciej Nowicki
Deputy President of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
NB. For more information, see HFHR’s press release.
On behalf of signatories:
1. Association of Ukrainian human rights monitors on Law Enforcement, Ukraina
2. Association UMDPL, Ukraina
3. Bir Duino Kirgistan, Kirgistan
4. Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Bułgaria
5. Center for Participation and development, Gruzja
6. Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Rosja
7. Citizens’ Watch, Rosja
8. Coalizione Italiana Liberta e Diritti civili (CILD), Włochy
9. Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL), Chorwacja
10. Crude Accountability, Stany Zjednoczone
11. DRA - German-Russian Exchange, Niemcy
12. Fair Trial, Wielka Brytania
13. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights)
14. German-Russian Exchange Berlin, Niemcy
15. Helsinki Association for Human Rights NGO, Armenia
16. Helsinki Association for Human Rights, Armenia
17. Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor, Armenia
18. Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Armenia
19. Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka, Polska
20. Human Rights First, Stany Zjednoczone
21. Human Rights House Foundation, Norwegia
22. Human Rights Matter, Niemcy
23. Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Litwa
24. Human Rights Movement "Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan", Kirgistan
25. Human Rights Watch, Stany Zjednoczone
26. Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Węgry
27. International Partnership for Human Rights, Belgia
28. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law,
Kazachstan
29. Kharkiv Regional Foundation "Public Alternative", Ukraina
30. Kharkiv Regional Foundation "Public Alternative”, Ukraina
31. Kosova Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims
32. Legal policy research center, Kazachstan
33. Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights, Niemcy-Szwajcaria
34. Liberties, Niemcy
35. Liga lidských práv | League of Human Rights, Czechy
36. Minority Rights Group Europe
37. Moscow Helsinki Group, Rosja
38. Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten, Holandia
39. Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Holandia
40. Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norwegia
41. Notabene, Tadżykistan
42. People in Need, Czechy
43. Promo LEX, Mołdawia
44. Public Association "Dignity", Kazachstan
45. Public Association "Dignity”
46. Public Verdict Foundation, Rosja
47. Rights International Spain, Hiszpania
48. Sova Center, Rosja
49. The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, Litwa
50. The Regional Center for Strategic Studies
51. Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Ukraina
52. UNITED for Intercultural Action