International Jurists Criticize Government Takeover of Polish Constitutional Tribunal

The International Commission of Jurists criticized the takeover of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal by a group of government-backed judges, stating that the action contravenes international standards on judicial independence.

Eight judges elected this year by the parliamentary majority took control of the tribunal, suspending Chief Justice Bogdan Święczkowski and Deputy Chief Justice Bartłomiej Sochański for failing to fulfill their duties. Riot police were deployed outside the court on Monday to hold back protesters and prevent Święczkowski and Sochański from entering the grounds. Święczkowski denounced the takeover as an illegal coup d'état and is backed by six remaining judges appointed under the former Law and Justice government.

Opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki also condemned the actions of the government-backed judges and clashed physically and verbally with Anna Korwin-Piotrowska inside the tribunal premises. Korwin-Piotrowska, acting as the longest-serving judge, convened a general assembly that was attended by only eight judges, raising questions regarding whether a valid quorum of ten judges was met.