Commissioner for Human Rights

During the second day of the Tenth National Seminar of the European Network of Ombudsmen, the Human Rights Defenders from over 40 countries discussed the minority rights and observance of the human rights during the so called, “deportation flights”, as a result of which the foreigners are sent back to the countries of their origin.

The Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Jan Jařab brought to attention the situation of the Roma community. Ombudsmen jointly considered the measures, which would allow to prevent the discrimination of the national minorities.

The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, headed the session concerning monitoring of the deportation flights, in which the Ombudsmen of Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as Mr. Per Kvistholm, the head of return operations at the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) took part.    

In the afternoon, a ceremony of laying flowers was held at the Unknown Solider monument at the Piłsudski square in Warsaw was held. The President of Warsaw, Ms. Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz took part in the event. In the commemorative trees alley at the Saski Park a tree commemorating the Tenth National Seminar of the European Network of Ombudsmen was planted.

After the official events, a meeting of the Regional Board of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) was organized at the Office of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Poland, headed by Professor Irena Lipowicz since January 2015.