Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and war crimes committed by Russian troops prompt us to reflect on the potential criminal responsibility of the perpetrators. In the diplomatic and legal worlds, there is a discussion on how to create mechanisms capable of holding people criminally responsible for all the acts they have perpetrated.

Lex Woś is part of the government camp’s actions targeted at the third sector of social organisations, but the moment is particularly important.

The Act on the Protection of the Population, the draft of which ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’ obtained, gives the authorities the ability to restrict constitutional freedoms without the Sejm’s control and to remove uncomfortable mayors.

Acting First President of the Supreme Court Małgorzata Manowska has requested the opening of proceedings against three legal judges of the Supreme Court for wanting to assess the legality of neo-judges while implementing the judgments of the ECtHR, the CJEU and the Supreme Court. Professor Wróbel and Judge Matras, who is defending suspended judges, could face charges.

The legal judges of the Supreme Court, including the former presidents, are appealing to the Sejm to fully implement the judgments of the ECtHR and the CJEU and to liquidate the main source of problems with the rule of law, namely the neo-NCJ.

Three new disciplinary cases have been initiated against Judge Żurek. A judge who refused to disclose her child’s illness is also being prosecuted, while another has been transferred on disciplinary charges for applying EU law

The Law and Justice party (PiS) is continuing to breach the rule of law and exacerbate the conflict with the EU. The ruling party has already agreed on a list of 15 candidates for the neo-NCJ II, which gives nominations to judges. It will be even worse than the current one, because the list contains “hawks” headed by Łukasz Piebiak. 

Retired judges of the Constitutional Tribunal state that the judgment in question is another scandalous example of jurisprudence violating the Constitution. Challenging Article 6 of the ECHR for the second time in a short period of time (previously in the judgment of 24.11.2021, K 6/21) is a drastic jurisprudential excess.

The selectivity in complying with ECtHR judgments was dressed up to appear as the checking of the constitutionality of the provisions of an international convention.  This is why the operative part of the judgment of the Constitutional Tribunal states that Article 6 of the ECHR is unconstitutional, which in itself is outrageous. 

PiS claims there are fewer attacks on the EU and Brussels, but this is only ostensible peace. The propaganda of the authorities targeted at the EU is sending the message: since there is a war, let us rule without restrictions.