Letter to Congressional Leaders on Judicial Independence, Separation of Powers and the Rule of Law in Poland

SUMMARY

With help from the International Human Rights Committee (Anil Kalhan, Chair), the City Bar sent a letter to the heads of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations Committees conveying concerns about the mixed messages that the United States appears to be sending to the government of Poland as its parliament has been aggressively advancing legislation designed to place Poland’s judiciary under legislative and executive control. The City Bar welcomes the State Department’s recent statement in support of judicial independence and separation of powers in Poland; however, the Trump administration has also sent other signals suggesting that it is not troubled by the Polish government’s attacks on judicial institutions, the free press, and independent civil society. The City Bar urges Congressional leaders to take renewed action in support of judicial independence in Poland and to urge the Trump administration to make human rights and rule of law values higher priorities in its engagement with the government of Poland and the European Union.