Introduction
New legislation on the use of force at the Belarus border
On 29th July 2024, the Polish parliament passed a law granting soldiers and uniformed personnel immunity from criminal prosecution for the use of firearms while guarding the country’s eastern border under certain conditions. Border guards will now be allowed to use lethal force when “repelling a direct and unlawful attack” that threatens “the life, health and freedom” of the officers or others involved, and when the circumstances make such immediate intervention appear necessary. This also includes intervening during the preparation of such an attack. For example, if a soldier sees a migrant picking something up from the ground and suspects that it is a weapon with which he could be attacked, he may shoot.
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz commented on the changes, saying that the law “increases the sense of security of soldiers defending the border of Poland and the European Union.” The move has drawn significant criticism from human rights advocates and legal organisations like the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, who argue that it essentially provides a “licence to kill.” Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty expressed concerns that this law may lead to excessive use of force and human rights violations. In O’Flaherty’s view, the “invocation of national security cannot serve as a carte blanche to adopt measures that raise questions of compatibility with human rights standards.”
Human rights groups criticise Tusk’s immigration policy
In October 2024, more than 60 human rights organisations urged Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to abandon proposals to temporarily suspend the right to asylum. The request was made in an open letter following Tusk’s announcement of a new migration strategy focused on tightening Poland’s border controls. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, argue that international humanitarian obligations must be upheld, regardless of security concerns. Tusk's proposal, which he believes would enhance national security, comes as Poland prepares for presidential elections in May 2025. Dominika Ożyńska, from the Polish NGO Egala, stated: “The suspension of the right to asylum at the border is, in some ways, already a reality for us. In recent weeks, most people who try to cross the border into Poland never even begin the procedure.”
Floods in Poland
In mid-September 2024, severe floods devastated southern Poland, forcing mass evacuations and prompting a robust government response. For the first time in Poland's history, a “state of natural disaster” was declared as the floods affected 750 municipalities, affecting 2.4 million people and claiming nine lives.
Poland moves to legalise same-sex civil unions
On 18th October 2024, Poland’s government introduced draft laws which would allow for same-sex civil unions. Equality Minister Katarzyna Kotula announced that the legislation, which includes provisions for property arrangements and parental rights, had been submitted for public and inter-ministerial consultation. According to the draft law, civil unions will be recognised when two individuals submit mutual declarations of intent at a civil registry office.
Freedom of association
NGO investigated for receiving unlawful funding, Belarus labels it extremist
In July 2024, Fundacja Wolność i Demokracja (Freedom and Democracy Foundation), founded by Michał Dworczyk, MEP for the Law and Justice party (PiS), came under scrutiny in Poland over allegations of receiving unlawful funding during the previous PiS government. Between 2020 and 2023, the foundation was awarded PLN 58.9 million (around EUR 13.6 million) in public funds, primarily from state entities linked to PiS. Michał Dworczyk, who previously served as head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, denied any involvement in allocating these subsidies, which were overseen by Jan Dziedziczak, the then Secretary of State. Following these revelations, an audit was launched to investigate potential connections between public funds and PiS-aligned groups.
In an unrelated development, in August 2024, the foundation was added to Belarus’s list of extremist organisations, marking the first time a Polish NGO has received such a designation. The foundation supports Polish-language media in Belarus and Belsat, a Poland-based Belarusian investigative outlet reporting on issues absent from Belarus’s state-controlled media.
NGO Council created to support Poland's upcoming EU Presidency
Poland is preparing to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1st January 2025, marking its second term since joining the EU. To facilitate this, the Polish government has established the NGO Council for the Presidency to involve non-governmental organisations in shaping its agenda.
Initially planned to include 20 organisations, the NGO Council has expanded to 34 due to significant interest, representing various sectors such as social policy, climate, and human rights. Its primary goal is to foster dialogue and ensure that a broad range of societal interests is reflected in the presidency’s priorities. The NGO Council seeks to represent public interests and strengthen collaboration between the government and civil society.
Polish women’s strike leader targeted for cyber surveillance, media reveals
On 10th October 2024, TVN24 revealed that Krystyna Suchanow, the leader of the All-Poland Women’s Strike, had been targeted for surveillance with the Pegasus spyware tool. The Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego (Polish Internal Security Agency) justified its request for court approval to monitor Suchanow by citing suspicions of espionage activities. It also sought permission to surveil Marta Lempart, another leader of the Women’s Strike. The District Court in Warsaw approved the request to spy on Suchanow but rejected the one for Lempart. These surveillance efforts occurred during the mass protest mobilisation in response to a constitutional court ruling which imposed a near-total ban on abortion in 2020.
This revelation comes amid efforts by a parliamentary commission set up by the new government to investigate the abuse of spyware against critics by its predecessors. As previously reported by the CIVICUS Monitor, in April 2024, former Justice Minister Adam Bodnar disclosed that the Pegasus spyware had been employed by Polish government agencies from 2017 to 2022, targeting 578 individuals, including political opponents, journalists, and human rights activists. On 11th October, TVN24 reported that Suchanow and Lempart had been summoned as witnesses in an ongoing investigation into abuse of power and breaches of duty by officials in connection with the use of the Pegasus software, which is being conducted by the Organised Crime and Corruption Department of the National Prosecutor’s Office.
Pegasus, developed by an Israeli firm, is designed primarily for counter-terrorism and organised crime operations, allowing deep access to smartphones for eavesdropping and data retrieval.
Freedom of assembly
Protest over parliament refusing to decriminalise abortion
On 24 July 2024, after the Polish parliament voted against the decriminalisation of assisted abortion, one of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's key campaign promises, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament in Warsaw. Protesters accused the government of failing to uphold its commitments to protect women's rights.
The failure to deliver on this key campaign promise raises doubts about Tusk’s ability to implement further policy liberalisation. The Left, part of Tusk’s coalition, introduced the bill, with Tusk’s Civic Platform (PO) supporting it. However, nearly all members of the conservative Polish People’s Party (PSL) voted against it, joining forces with opposition groups, including the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS), the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja), and Kukiz’15. The final vote was 218 against and 215 in favour. President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, had already indicated he would veto the bill if it passed. After the vote, PiS members celebrated, with Bartłomiej Wróblewski declaring that the constitution and “life” had won. The rejected bill was part of a broader effort to relax Poland’s near-total abortion ban, introduced by PiS in 2021. Three other bills aiming to loosen abortion restrictions are still under discussion, but their future remains uncertain.
On 2nd September, following the unsuccessful attempt to pass the law in July, Tusk announced new guidelines to improve access to abortion within existing legal frameworks. The guidelines clarify that a psychiatric evaluation is sufficient for women seeking an abortion if the pregnancy poses a mental health risk, aiming to give doctors greater confidence in applying the law without fear of legal repercussions.
Three abortion activists acquitted
On 3rd October 2024, a court acquitted three activists, including Marta Lempart, of charges relating to causing an “epidemiological threat” during the COVID-19 pandemic for organising mass protests against Poland's near-total abortion ban. The charges stemmed from their roles in protests between October and December 2020.
The decision comes at a time when Poland’s government, which replaced the conservative PiS administration in December 2023, faces challenges in liberalising abortion laws. Marta Lempart criticised the government for failing to deliver on its promises to relax abortion restrictions and for continuing to target activists advocating for reproductive rights.
Far-right protesters accuse government of ‘treason’ over Ukraine support
On 25th July 2024, Poland’s far-right Confederation party protested outside the parliament in Warsaw, accusing the government of committing “treason” by supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Confederation leaders Janusz Korwin-Mikke and Grzegorz Braun led the demonstration under the slogan, “Stop dragging Poland into a war that is not ours,” demanding accountability from Tusk.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Poland has been a major supporter of Ukraine, providing military, financial, and diplomatic aid while hosting around one million Ukrainian refugees. Confederation, a pro-Putin party, stands alone in parliament in opposing this support, as all other political parties continue to back Ukraine.
Protest by Law and Justice Party
On 14th September 2024, the opposition Law and Justice Party (PiS), protested outside the Ministry of Justice, accusing Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government of violating the rule of law and prioritising foreign interests, particularly those of Germany. PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński accused Tusk’s administration of jeopardising Poland's sovereignty and claimed the government was placing the country under external influence.
The protest, called “Stop Patowładzy,” (combining władza, meaning government or authorities, and the prefix pato-, which is short for “pathological”) focused on alleged government corruption and breaches of constitutional and human rights. Since losing power in December 2023, PiS has consistently criticised Tusk’s administration.
🔥 Zaczynamy protest #stopPATOwładzy! ⛔ STOP łamaniu prawa i atakowaniu wartości przez rząd! pic.twitter.com/j3H0wMd0xi
— Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (@pisorgpl) September 14, 2024
Miners and energy workers protest for salary increases
On 10th September 2024, several hundred miners and energy workers from the Enea Group, including the Bogdanka coal mine and the Kozienice and Połaniec power plants, protested outside the Ministry of State Assets in Warsaw. The demonstrators demanded a 15% wage increase and clarity about the future of their jobs amid concerns over government plans to accelerate coal mining reductions.
The workers expressed anxiety over Poland's energy reforms linked to the Green Deal and sought meetings with government officials to discuss energy transition plans and funding. They voiced frustration at being excluded from discussions about the future of coal mining, which are currently managed by multiple ministries.
Police protest low wages with simultaneous sick leave
On 5 November 2024, approximately 10,000 Polish police officers staged a mass protest nicknamed “Operation Lucyna” by simultaneously taking sick leave, with numbers potentially rising to 20,000. Organised by the Police Solidarity Protest Committee, the protests aim to highlight poor working conditions and demand systemic changes, including a 15% pay increase. The government proposed a 5% raise in response.
Freedom of expression
Polish media urge state support in the fight against global tech dominance
On 4th July 2024, 350 local media outlets participated in a one-day protest against changes to copyright law that they claim favour Big Tech companies like Google and Meta. The protest, marked by banners on their websites’ homepages reading “Politicians! Don’t kill Polish media!”, sought to pressure legislators into ensuring fairer compensation for media publishers when large tech platforms use their content.
On 14th August 2024, the Polish parliament approved an amendment aligning with the EU's 2019 directives on copyright and the digital use of content, mandating digital platforms to compensate publishers for reused content. However, media publishers argue that the new law does not sufficiently empower them for fair negotiations, warning that inadequate regulation could lead to protracted legal disputes.
Since 19th September 2024, Facebook has changed how it displays links to articles from Polish media, now showing only the title and hyperlink without accompanying images or text summaries. This adjustment is tied to Poland's implementation of Article 15 of the EU Copyright Directive, which allows publishers and journalists to seek compensation from tech companies for using their content.
Media representatives and journalists view this change as punitive, alleging that it is a response to the new copyright law aimed at protecting journalism. Bartek Węglarczyk, editor-in-chief of Onet, criticised Facebook’s actions, stating that the platform is “punishing” Polish media by making their links less attractive and visible to users. Meta has indicated that this adjustment is temporary and primarily affects its mobile app.
On 23rd October 2024, Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) announced an investigation into Meta over the reduced visibility of posts linking to Polish media on Facebook. UOKiK aims to determine whether Meta’s actions constitute abuse of market dominance, with potential fines of up to 10% of its annual turnover.
MFRR advises Poland to seek more rigorous media reforms
Between 16th and 17th September 2024, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium conducted a two-day mission to Poland to discuss media reforms with key stakeholders, including Justice Minister Adam Bodnar. The primary focus was on public service media reform, protecting journalists from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), and aligning media regulations with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).
Most SLAPP cases in Poland involve domestic actors. The Ministry of Justice claims to have acted promptly to withdraw 37 SLAPP cases initiated under the previous government. Additionally, the government has pledged to decriminalise defamation, update media laws, and support independent regional outlets.
However, progress has been slow, with concerns that major reforms may be delayed until after the 2025 presidential elections to avoid a veto from the conservative president. While the media landscape in Poland has shown improvement, significant challenges remain, including restoring the audience and credibility of the public broadcaster TVP, as well as ensuring lasting media transparency and pluralism.
NGO takes legal action against President Duda
The Centre for Monitoring Racism and Xenophobic Behaviour (OMZRiK) is suing Polish President Andrzej Duda over remarks he made about the film Green Border. The film, directed by Agnieszka Holland, depicts the migrant crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border and has faced criticism from Duda and the Law and Justice (PiS) party, who argue it misrepresents Polish border guards and insults those defending the country.
In a televised interview, Duda stated he was unsurprised that critics labelled viewers of the film as “pigs.” OMZRiK claims this remark is offensive to Polish citizens and takes pride in pursuing legal action against a sitting president—a first in Poland. The migrant crisis began in 2021 when Belarus, allied with Russia, opened unofficial routes into Europe, a tactic seen as an attempt to destabilise both Warsaw and Brussels.
Journalist investigating Russian influence given police protection following threats
Poland’s Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has ordered the Internal Security Agency (ABW) to ensure the safety of journalist Grzegorz Rzeczkowski. On 14th October 2024, Rzeczkowski reported receiving threats following the release of his books investigating Russian influence in Poland.
Rzeczkowski, who had previously requested protection from authorities, alleges attempts to intimidate him into ceasing his investigations into individuals linked to Russia.