Report of the Human Rights Defender on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2014
4. Access of prisoners to public information
After many years of efforts of the HRD to ensure access to public information to prisoners32, convicts serving imprisonment were given the opportunity in
2014 to access public information contained in the Public Information Bulletin33
(hereinafter referred to as the “PIB”). However, it should be noted that the solution
adopted in this respect cannot be regarded as satisfactory, as the scope of information made available to prisoners is limited. Currently, convicts have access only
to the PIB of the Prison Service, the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Defender
and websites of the Government Legislation Centre and e-court.
The right of persons deprived of their liberty to public information should
cover access to all PIB websites or should be ensured in other – specified by statute – way. The HRD is considering filing a request with the Constitutional Court on
this matter.
5. Non-adjustment of penitentiary establishments to the needs of persons
with disabilities
The issue of adjustment of penitentiary establishments to the needs of the
disabled remains unresolved systemically34. The Defendant requested the Minister
of Justice35 to provide each establishment with at least one residential cell adjusted
to the needs of persons with disabilities and to adjust its immediate infrastructure
to enable such persons to enjoy their rights as persons deprived of liberty. In his
reply of 5 June 2014, the Secretary of State of the MJ stressed that the demand
to adjust each establishment to the needs of persons with disabilities should be
considered through the prism of the total number of such persons serving imprisonment36. At the same time, he added that 58 penitentiary establishments comprise 91 cells for persons with disabilities, offering space for 270 persons in total.
Considering the reply referred to above, it was decided to carry out thematic visits
in 2015 in relation to observance of the rights of the disabled at penitentiary establishments.
Cf. Report of the HRD on the activities of the NPM in 2012 [hereinafter referred to as the
“Report of 2012”], pp. 33-34, Report of the HRD on the activities of the NPM in 2013 [hereinafter
referred to as the “Report of 2013”], pp. 42-43.
33
The Public Information Bulletin is an official ICT gazette created to provide the public with
access to public information, in the form of a unified website system in the ICT network (cf.
Article 8(1) of the Act of 6 September 2001 on access to public information).
34
Cf. Report of 2013, pp. 43-46.
35
https://www.rpo.gov.pl/pl/content/wyst%C4%85pienie-generalne-z-dnia-14052014-r-doministra-sprawiedliwo%C5%9Bci-w-sprawie-dostosowania
36
In accordance with the reply, there were 59 persons in wheelchairs.
32
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