Top Polish court gives green light to new rules on public gatherings

The government bill gives priority to gatherings organized by public authorities, churches and religious groups and enables regional authorities to give three-year permits for regular gatherings at a given site, bans counter-rallies from taking place in the same place as public assemblies and enforces a minimum 100-metre distance between gatherings.

Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Thursday that the regularly organised gatherings do not violate the country’s constitution.

Poland’s ombudsman and a number of non-government organisations earlier said the bill stunted civil liberties and called for Duda to veto the proposed legislation.

Duda directed the bill to the constitutional court in December, saying: “Freedom of assembly is an essential element of democracy and a prerequisite for [exercising] other human rights and freedoms related to the sphere of public life”.

It was the first time the Law and Justice (PiS) party-backed president directed a piece of legislation to the tribunal since the PiS government swept into power in October 2015. (vb/pk)

Source: PAP