Poland Votes In New Human Rights Ombudsman

Warsaw, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jul, 2021 ) :Polish senators on Wednesday approved a new human rights ombudsman to replace Adam Bodnar, who frequently clashed with the government and was booted out of office by the Constitutional Court.

Marcin Wiacek, 39, who teaches human rights law at the University of Warsaw, was elected to the five-year term after months of wrangling over the highly politically sensitive post.

This was the sixth time parliament tried to pick a candidate.

Just after the vote, Wiacek said Poland should respect an order from the EU Court of Justice to suspend a new "disciplinary chamber" for judges -- part of a controversial judicial reform pushed through by the ruling right-wing populist government.

"Urgent steps should be taken to implement it," he said.

The government, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, has said it will not do so.

Wiacek said he would "help any citizen who feels their liberties or liberties are being violated".

Bodnar's term officially expired in September last year but he had argued that he should stay on until a replacement was found.

The Constitutional Court disagreed and forced him to step down earlier in July.

Bodnar told AFP in an interview in May that Poland risked becoming "undemocratic", accusing the governing party of "trying to incapacitate or take over... power mechanisms one by one".