Against the ban of communism in Poland

joint statement of communist and workers' parties

 

Anti-communist persecution in Poland intensifies as the state authorities attempt to criminalize the communist activity by changes of the penal code. This is an element of the anti-communist campaign aimed at banning the Communist Party of Poland. The legal changes are also a part of the persecution such as a trial of the members of the CPP and the Brzask editorial board, lasting for about 3,5 years, despite the fact that the court on January declared them as innocent. At the same time the Polish authorities raise other obstacles to the communist activity as well as falsifying the history and destroying anything connected with communism and the Peoples' Poland.

The amendments to the penal code, including the ban of communist activity (article 256) were made just 10 days before the elections to the European Parliament. They mean heavier, unacceptable punishments and widening scope of punishable crimes. The changes are numerous and concern 105 out of 360 articles of the code. The government presented the changes as a reaction on the paedophilia scandal among the Catholic priests and related to this crime. However, just a few amendments concern it.

The reactionary changes have been proceded very hastily. On the 14th of May, the project was sent by the government to the parliament. The next day the Sejm (the lower chamber) started the legislative procedure and on 16th of May, it was voted and passed by the Sejm. Later it was passed to the upper chamber – Senate, which added further 43 amendments, and now returns to be voted in Sejm. The government has the majority in both chambers so it would not have any problems with passing the amendments. Next, the new law should be signed by the president. There is a widespread opinion of lawyers that changes of the code violate the constitution and human rights. However, the Constitutional Court is currently controlled by the judges nominated by the government.

Amended article 256 bans communism and equates it with Nazism and fascism. Previously it penalised the promotion of the „fascist or other totalitarian systems of the state". 10 years ago there was already an attempt to ban the communist symbols with the same article, it was met with internal and international protests and in 2011 it was cancelled by the Constitutional Court. However, in recent years the law was used very widely as shows the history of the trial of the CPP and Brzask. The new version of the law bans the ideology, symbols or any other contents (prints, recordings), as well as presentation and possession of any symbol of this content. The new code also increases the penalty from 2 to 3 years of imprisonment.

The Communist Parties oppose the anti-communist campaign and penalisation of communist ideas in Poland.  We demand all the prosecutions against the communists to be stopped immediately

SolidNet Parties

1. PADS, Algeria
2. Communist Party of Australia
3. Party of Labour of Austria
4. Communist Party of Bangladesh
5. Communist Party of Belgium
6. Communist Party of Brazil
7. Communist Party of Britain
8. New Communist Party of Britain
9. Communist Party of Canada
10. Communist Party of Chile
11. Socialist Workers' Party of Croatia
12. AKEL
13. Communist Party of Bohemia & Moravia
14. Communist Party in Denmark
15. French Communist Party
16. German Communist Party
17. Communist Party of Greece
18. Hungarian Workers’ Party
19. Tudeh Party of Iran
20. Iraqi Communist Party
21. Communist Party of Kurdistan-Iraq
22. Communist Party of Ireland
23. Workers Party of Ireland
24. Communist Party of Israel
25. Communist Party (Italy)
26. Jordanian Communist Party
27. Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan
28. Lebanese Communist Party
29. Communist Party of Luxembourg
30. Communist Party of Malta
31. New Communist Party of the Netherlands
32. Communist Party of Pakistan
33. Palestinian Communist Party
34. Palestinian Peoples Party
35. Philippine Communist Party [PKP 1930]
36. Portuguese Communist Party
37. Romanian Socialist Party
38. Communist Party of the Russian Federation
39. Union of Communist Parties-CPSU
40. Russian Communist Workers Party
41. Communists of Serbia
42. Communist Party of the Workers of Spain
43. Communist Party of the People of Spain
44. Communists of Catalonia
45. Communist Party of Sri Lanka
46. Syrian Communist Party
47. Syrian Communist Party (Unified)
48. Communist Party of Turkey
49. Communist Party of Ukraine 
50. Communist Party USA

Other Parties 

1. Pole of Communist Revival in France
2. Galizan People’s Union (UPG)
3. Party of Communists USA