of torture. She reminded that the NMPT seeks to implement international
standards regarding persons deprived of their liberty.
An important event was the 2nd Congress on Human Rights held on 14-15
December at the Polin Museum in Warsaw. During the 43 discussion sessions
attended in total by 200 panellists and about 1500 participants from all over
the country, important issues were discussed that relate to the protection of
human rights and civil liberties in Poland. As part of the congress, the National
Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture organized a panel entitled Poland:
a state without torture. The discussion on preventing torture and inhuman or
degrading treatment was attended by: Prof. Zbigniew Lasocik, until 2012
a member of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) in
Geneva, who has established the country’s first scientific unit that works on
the subject (the Human Trafficking Research Centre); attorney Mikołaj Pietrzak,
head of the Warsaw Bar Council and member of the Board of Directors of the
United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture; Justyna Kopińska, author
of many reports on the scale of violence in Poland; Maria Książak, a co-founder
of the Polish Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims; and Przemysław
Kazimirski, the NMPT director. The discussion was moderated by Deputy CHR
Hanna Machińska, PH.D.
All panellists agreed that the problem of torture in Poland is still encountered.
As they pointed out, the most frequent victims of torture are people who have
low legal awareness and are thus unable to defend themselves effectively; often
these are persons with disabilities, migrants or minors.
We cannot deny torture still exists. It is up to us our common effort to make
people aware that torture should be condemned and that such practices may not
be used in the 20th century.
Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Hanna Machińska, Ph.D.
International activity is an important component of work of the National
Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture. Therefore, representatives of the
Mechanism took part in numerous international meetings on the prevention
Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities
of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in Poland in 2018
21
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