Crimes motivated by hatred based on gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability may now be prosecuted ex officio—this is a proposal from the Ministry of Justice that has just been approved by the government.

“I don’t understand why a conservative party isn’t fighting for the formalization of relationships and the security of families. Leaving people in legal limbo seems cruel,” says Minister Katarzyna Kotula in an interview with OKO.press. She responds to the arguments of coalition partners from PSL, who oppose the introduction of the civil partnerships bill.

“Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar stated, ‘The Venice Commission supports the direction of the reforms in the Polish judiciary and views them favorably. At the same time, it has provided its comments and suggestions.'”

During Ernest Bejda’s tenure as head of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA), the use of the Pegasus surveillance system was initiated. The commission remains confident that they will eventually succeed in questioning Bejda.

On 13 March 2024, a few days after completing his term as President of the ICC, I conducted the following interview with Judge Piotr Hofmański.  It was a wide-ranging conversation which has been edited and condensed for publication.

Report of the Stefan Batory Foundation Legal Expert Group on the impact of the judiciary reform in Poland in 2015-2018