In December 2021, we launched the next edition of the Watchdog School (SIS). It is a series of meetings for residents of cities and communes observing the actions of local authorities, speaking out on public issues and standing for the change when problems are diagnosed where they live. For many years the School has gathered…
I. Transparency in the National Report preparation process as an example of insufficient protection of the right to information 1. The National Report should include a description of the methodology and the extensive consultation process conducted, including consultations with civil society [A/HRC/DEC/17/119, Chapter II, 2, A; Guidance Note on the National Report for the UPR…
Detailed information on the amicus curiae opinion of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights is available on the Foundation’s website. And the opinion itself, in English, is also available on our webiste. The detailed description of the case.
Detailed information on the amicus curiae opinion of the Access Info Europe is available on its website. And the opinion itself, in English, is also available on our webiste. The detailed description of the case.
On September 6, 2021, as we celebrated 20 years of the Access to Public Information Act, a motion to repeal the decree imposing a state of emergency on the border with Belarus was unsuccessfully pursued in the Sejm. We wrote at the time: “The regulation on introduction of state of emergency is a short act…
The biggest problem in access to information was the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border and the introduction of the state of emergency. On the one hand, the regulation on the state of emergency restricted the Act on Access to Public Information, access for journalists and activists for 3 months (September-November 2021), and then the amendment…
In 2021, almost nothing happened in terms of guarantees for NGOs. It was a crisis year in which there was sustained pressure on democracy and the rule of law. The only positives were that organizations led to public hearings being held on the National Recovery Plan and the election of an independent person as Ombudsman,…
9 January 2021 Dr hab. Michal Bernaczyk Associate Professor of the University of Wroclaw Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics Constitutional Law Department To whom it may concern, members of the international community, transparency advocacy groups, journalists, members of international media associations Explanatory Memorandum on the Motion submitted to the Polish Constitutional Tribunal…
Roksana Maślankiewicz: Tell me, which came first in your case – the right to information or animal rights? How did you learn about the right to information? Anna Gdula: I started by advocating for animal rights. In 2012, I met Iza Kadłucka on Facebook. We founded the first “Lex Nova” Foundation. During the first years…
Michał Zemełka, member of the Citizens’ Network Watchdog Poland, interviewed by Roksana Maślankiewicz. Tell us about your activity, how did you get interested in the issues of citizen control and the right to information? When did it start? What pushed you to become a watchdog? For as long as I can remember, human and civil…
Krzysztof Jakubowski, member of the Citizens’ Network Watchdog Poland, Founder and President of the Freedom Foundation (Fundacja Wolności), Man of the Year 2017 according to the Jury of the competition organised by “Dziennik Wschodni” is interviewed by Joanna Gucman-Muż. Joanna Gucman-Muż: As you know, Watchdog is celebrating its eighteenth anniversary this year. How many years…
Jacek Werder, a member of the Citizens Network Watchdog Poland, is interviewed by Paula Kłucińska. Paula Kłucińska: How did you get started as a watchdog? Jacek Werder: I was interested in local politics on a casual basis for about a dozen years, but never consistently or systematically. That changed a bit after I moved…
On 17 September 2021, the Sejm adopted the so-called anti-corruption bill authored by the Kukiz’15 party, and on 6 October it was passed to the Senate committees. Our representatives, Katarzyna Batko-Tołuć and Adam Dobrawy, participated in the session, presenting the our Association’s opinion on the Act (link to the opinion). After we presented our opinion,…
Ewa Majda, member of the Citizens’ Network Watchdog Poland, talks about her activity in conversation with Agnieszka Zdanowicz. Agnieszka Zdanowicz: Ewa, have you always felt the need to be socially engaged? Ewa Majda: Yes, that urge has always been in me. I’ve had periods of increased and reduced activity – I’ve been active in school…
If we want to know what the government is doing, we must have access to all documents concerning its functioning, not just the ones it wants to show us. The European Court of Human Rights has just announced that it has accepted complaint No. 10103/20 lodged by Sieć Obywatelska Watchdog Polska (the Citizens Network Watchdog…