Recommendations
In recent years, the level of Xenophobia in Poland has increased both towards migrants and towards ethnic and religious minorities, primarily Muslims. It is obvious that propaganda and agitation of the Right and Justice (PiS) party during the 2015 parliamentary elections have contributed to the situation. In addition, government has adopted a number of anti-democratic decisions aimed at reducing the powers of the Constitutional Court and establishing control over the media. After the success of PiS, right-wing radical parties became even more active in the elections. In fact, several outright extreme right radicals are already present in the Polish parliament. At the same time, not a single member of leftist parties has entered parliament in recent elections. All this suggests that both the society and the political elite of the country have clearly demonstrated a right-wing nationalist trend in recent years, which threatens the tolerant future of Polish society.
- General recommendations on the accession to international agreements and conventions.
- General recommendations on adjustments to the legal framework.
- General recommendations regarding law enforcement and human rights.
Poland is recommended to sign the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. In addition, given the growing popularity of the extreme right, it would be desirable to accede to the UN General Assembly resolution condemning Nazism.
Poland is recommended to amend Article 27 of the Aliens Act, introduce a clause prohibiting discrimination on grounds of language and citizenship into the law on anti-discrimination, to repeal the law banning ritual slaughter. It is also desirable to repeal the Article 196 of the Criminal Code on insulting the feelings of believers, as it could easily be covered by Article 257 of on verbal hate assault.
Poland is recommended to adopt and implement a cohesive Roma integration programme and cease Roma evictions. It is also necessary to abolish written statements from parents who want their children to attend ethics classes instead of religion lessons, and to repeal of the ban ritual slaughter. It is desirable to create a governmental system of support for victims of hate crimes.
Law enforcement authorities should take steps to overcome the reluctance of its staff to investigate hate crimes. Ministry of the Interior is obliged to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court to abolish the rules justifying regular searches.
Poland should adopt a programme for integration of refugees and resolve the issue with the education and treatment of children in temporary containment centres.
It is also important to introduce an extensive programme to promote tolerance among the population, and a programme to combat xenophobia in sport. Authorities should refuse to honour the memory of radical nationalists of the interwar period. Also the "theory of two occupations" supported by the Institute of National Remembrance should be renounced as it rehabilitates radical nationalists and anti-Semites; and a full discussion of the role of the Poles during the Holocaust should be promoted.
Polish government should take an active part in developing a strategy to overcome the migration crisis. It is obvious that Poland must respect international law, in particular, the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. At the national level, the government should prepare citizens for the emergence of people from different cultures in the society, which is especially important in a monoethnic society like Poland.
