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Description
Results of the 2016 research conducted by Centrum Badania Opinii Społecznej indicate that many Poles have little knowledge about the rule of law. At the same time, in 2020 Poland fell in the Polska Freedom House ranking to the category of semi-consolidated democracies and it has been listed by the VICE magazine among 30 countries abusing the coronavirus pandemic situation to achieve its own political agenda and to limit or violate citizens’ rights. The World Economic Forum research (2017-2018) results show that Poland compares unfavourably to other countries regarding judicial independence of political influence. Unfortunately, our observations show that neither the Ministry of Justice nor any other public institution engages in any educational activities in the area of rule of law, human rights, or the reform and changes in the judicial system.We will address these problems by organising nationwide workshops with the elements of a debate for people with different views to discuss law as a common value. Participants will work on the vision of modern courts and will talk to judges about their independence, honesty, and transparency. Most active attendees will create local PWS (Praworządność Wspólna Sprawa) clubs inviting other people interested in this topic to cyclic debates on the rule of law and the judicial system reform. Based on talks and workshops, we will gather conclusions and visions and will publish them as grassroot, citizen-generated recommendations on the judiciary in Poland. We will issue a guide for educators and parents on how to talk, educate and engage local communities in the topic of the rule of law, human rights, and judiciary.Our partner is the ‘Samorządy dla Polski’ Association gathering individuals engaged in local authorities in the entire Poland and having experience in promoting principles of democracy and development of the civic society. They will support us in promoting our initiative and organisation of workshops.
Summary of project results
Our activities addressed social needs related to the crisis of the rule of law in Poland and the lack of sufficient legal education in society. In recent years, Poland has struggled with threats to the independence of courts and the functioning of justice institutions, which have posed serious challenges to the foundations of the rule of law. This project aimed to raise public awareness of the importance of judicial independence and adherence to the rule of law, which ensures equality before the law and the protection of citizens’ rights.
We also wanted to increase citizens'' awareness of the roles of judges, prosecutors, and other legal institutions. The project addressed this educational gap through workshops and meetings that aimed to raise citizens'' legal awareness and rebuild confidence in the judiciary, which had been shaken by political controversy and changes in the judicial system.
As part of the project, we organized workshops, meetings with experts, and competitions and prepared publications to popularize the rule of law among different social groups.
Lectures and discussions were held in Pleszew and Ostrów Wielkopolski with the participation of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and journalists who presented their opinions on the current state of the rule of law in Poland. A lecture in Pleszew entitled. "Why do we need the rule of law?" was given by Judge Paweł Juszczyszyn, a member of the Iustitia Association of Polish Judges, who shared his reflections on the role of judges in society and the importance of the rule of law in maintaining democratic order. Another important event was a meeting with, among others, Jarosław Onyszczuk, a prosecutor from the Warsaw-Mokotów District Prosecutor''s Office, who discussed the independence of the prosecution service.
An important moment of the project was a lecture by Judge Igor Tuleya, who spoke about the “Idea of the Citizen Judge.” Judge Tuleya, known for his defense of the independence of the judiciary, spoke about the importance of the apolitical nature and independence of the courts in the process of building a democratic state of law. Judge Piotr Gąciarek delivered a lecture entitled "What next for the Judiciary in Poland?", which attempted to respond to current challenges to the justice system in Poland.
Another initiative within the project was the film competition “Shoot for the rule of law.” We invited participants to create short films addressing issues related to the rule of law. Five films were submitted to the competition, and each team received a gift cards. The competition mobilized citizens to actively express their opinions on the rule of law and join the debate.
We also produced 2 publications. The first, edited by Krystian Markiewicz, PhD, and Konrad Maj, PhD, entitled "Judges in the social mirror in times of the rule of law crisis in Poland". "Judges in the social mirror in times of crisis of the rule of law in Poland", contains texts on the rule of law and social attitudes toward judges and courts in Poland after 2015. The second publication is Innovation in legal education. From trial simulation to virtual reality, the project experiences are discussed, and practical tips are provided for educators working on the rule of law.
The project was aimed, in particular, at residents of Pleszew and Ostrów Wielkopolski, as well as other people interested in the justice system, judges, lawyers, and participants in public events.
Main results of the project:
●Increase in positive attitudes toward judges: because of the workshops and meetings held as part of the project, the trust and positive evaluation of judges among participants increased significantly. Surveys collected at the beginning and end of the project revealed a clear increase in evaluations of general court judges. As a result, participants were more likely to value the role of judges in the justice system, indicating an improvement in the public''s perception of the judiciary.
●Better understanding of the rule of law from different perspectives: Project participants gained a better understanding of issues related to the rule of law and the functioning of the judiciary. Among other things, the workshops discussed questions concerning the apolitical nature of the courts, the ethics of judges, the independence of the prosecution service and the relationship between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. These discussions resulted in a deeper understanding of the role of legal institutions in a democratic state under the rule of law.
●Increased civic engagement: The project has increased interest in the subject of the rule of law, as evidenced by surveys and the growing number of participants on SSP Iustitia’s social media. According to the surveys, the project has gained visibility in society.