The campaign, carried out since December 2018, is important not only for
the NMPT itself but also for building the culture of non-acceptance of torture
and ill-treatment in the society. Instances of torture are noticed by Poles
themselves. In the survey Torture: Poles’ opinions, that was conducted at the turn
of September and October 2018 by Kantar Millward Brown on the initiative
of the Commissioner for Human Rights, as many as 71% of the respondents
indicated that after 1989 in Poland there have been cases of torture. At the
same time, citizens emphasize that the problem of the use of torture in publicsector facilities should be given more public space, as concluded by as many as
86% of the respondents. It is also of great concern that as many as 41% of the
respondents believe that the use of torture may be justified in specific cases7.
PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE REPORT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR
THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CPT)
On 26 July 2018 at the CHR Office a report of the European Committee
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment (CPT) was
presented to journalists. The Committee visited the places of detention in Poland
from 11 to 22 May 2017. The report, published on 25 July 2018, concerned
the implementation stage of the recommendations of the Committee’s previous
visits to Poland. It was emphasized that despite Poland’s openness, the
cooperation should not be limited to the positive climate that accompanies the
implementation of the CPT’s tasks but should consist mainly in implementing
the recommendations of the previous visits. A number of them have not been
implemented for many years. These include the insufficient fulfilment of the
rights of persons placed in police facilities for detainees, such as immediate
access to a lawyer, the possibility to notify other persons about detention, or
access to medical examinations.
Treatment of persons detained by the police was generally positively
assessed by the Committee. However, there were respondents who indicated
that direct coercion measures had been in situations where no resistance was
7
The survey results are available at www.kmpt.rpo.gov.pl
Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities
of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in Poland in 2018
17
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