Judges and representatives of the legal profession from Poland as well as magistrates from other European countries met to march from the Supreme Court to the Parliament buildings.
In mid-December, protests were held across Poland against legal changes planned by the country’s ruling conservatives, which demonstrators say will gag judges critical of the government. In Warsaw, demonstrators including former President Bronisław Komorowski gathered next to parliament. Some brandished banners with slogans including: "Independent courts - the right of every citizen." The protests were held under the umbrella slogan "Judges today – you tomorrow" and organised by a number of groups including judges’ and prosecutors’ associations and the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.
Under draft legislation put forward by deputies from the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), judges could face penalties for challenging the appointment of those of their peers who took up their posts after the conservatives came to power, and for behavior deemed to be “political”.
Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in late 2015 and won a second term in power in October, has argued that broad changes are needed to reform an inefficient and sometimes corrupt judicial system marred by communist holdovers.
The changes have triggered a series of clashes between Warsaw and Brussels.
Source: PAP