Newsletter 17-22 January 2018
MAIN MATTERS
25th anniversary of the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights by Poland
On 19 January 2018, 25 years have passed since the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights by Poland. On this occasion, a press conference was held at the CHR Office, during which emphasis was placed on the fact that the Convention constitutes the Polish law because, according to the Constitution, it has priority over the national legislation. It should therefore be applied on the national level, already in the Polish courts, rather than at the stage of proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights [more].
The Commissioner for Human Rights as the national equality body invites representatives of non-governmental organizations, state institutions, universities and research and development institutes to submit proposals of subjects of anti-discrimination research projects for 2019 and 2020. The proposals may be submitted by 14 February 2018.[details].
THE COMMISSIONER ON CITIZENS’ ISSUES
The CHR on apartment ownership title transfers in return for old-age pensions: the law must be changed to protect people better
An increasing number of elderly people transfer ownership titles to their apartments to different companies in return for old age pensions. However, this is not based on reversed mortgage. The owners sign contracts based on which the title to the apartment is immediately transferred to the company, in return for an old-age pension to be paid in the future. The Commissioner appeals to the Minister of Investment and Economic Development to resume the works, abandoned a few years ago, aimed at better protection of the rights of senior persons [more].
Car towing fees in Lublin were charged against the law: the District Administrative Court in Lublin took into account the Commissioner’s complaint [more].
The Commissioner points at the problems faced by candidates for certified auditors [more].
The Ministry of National Education is carrying out planning works which relate e.g. to the system of providing free-of-charge transport to schools of pupils with disabilities. The Ministry of National Education has requested the Commissioner to cooperate in this area [more].
The “Book of Good Practice in the field of measures supporting national and ethnic minorities and foreigners” has been presented in the CHR Office [more].
LEGISLATION
The procedure of awarding grants by the Polish Film Institute should be changed [more].
The CHR on the possibility of lodging an appeal to an administrative court against Consul's decision refusing a visa to a foreigner [more].
Regulations on property search and body search procedures, included in the Act on the National Fiscal Administration, should be changed [more].
THE CHRONICLE
On 18 January 2018, 10 years had passed since the Council of Ministers assigned to the Commissioner for Human Rights the role of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture. During this period, the NMPT experts carried out 1,000 preventive visits [more].
The best trainee attorneys visited the CHR Office [more].
The Senate committee about the CHR’s budget [more].
Important!
New function of the rpo.gov.pl portal
From now on, it is easier to share the content of the rpo.gov.pl website. When you click on a box over a given text, you can place a link to it on your social media page.
The website rpo.gov.pl also contains a calendar of the upcoming meetings with the Commissioner for Human Rights and of events held under his patronage.
Information about the Commissioner’s work on cases relating to citizens’ issues is available under the “What we do” tab. An interactive map indicates cases in which the Commissioner has intervened.