Training of observers to monitor public assemblies in Poland

Amnesty International Poland conducted a training for volunteers ready to monitor public assemblies in the course of 2019.

AINL PHRP contributed to the training with a session on the international standards on the right to freedom of peaceful assemblies, the general policing of assemblies as well as the use of force in assemblies.

A key element in this regard was to highlight that the legislation governing public assemblies in Poland is to a large extent in contradiction to international human rights law and standards and in many other aspects opens the door to arbitrary and excessive restrictions and law enforcement interventions. Observers were informed what elements to look at in order to allow for a proper assessment whether authorities had a facilitating or rather restrictive approach in the handling of assemblies, and whether specific law enforcement actions appeared to be justified or not. The observations in the coming 8 months will help to inform Amnesty International’s analysis of how far people can effectively enjoy the human right to freedom of peaceful assembly in Poland and eventually to formulate relevant recommendations towards greater compliance by authorities with international human rights law.