Commissioner for Human Rights

[29/06/07 18:30] The Commissioner visited Poland to hold high-level meetings following his recent Memorandum on the Polish human rights situation. Mr Hammarberg met with Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, and Ombudsman Janusz Kochanowski. He also discussed the Memorandum's conclusions with representatives of civil society and human rights experts.

The discussion with Prime Minister Kaczynski focused on overcrowding in prisons, the rights of the LGBT community, as well as homophobia in Poland. Mr Hammarberg also stressed the importance of the revised European Social Charter and appealed for a Polish ratification. The Prime Minister welcomed the Commissioner's Memorandum and agreed to continuing dialogue on human rights.

The Commissioner also met with a number of civil society organisations, among them anti-discrimination NGOs, women's groups, representatives of minorities, as well as the Polish Trade Union of Nurses, who were on strike demanding higher pay and more dignity for their profession.

Related document

Memorandum on Poland
The European Social Charter

See also

Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Poland (press release, 01/12/06)