Commissioner for Human Rights

• July 23, 2026, marks the end of the five-year 8th term of office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, Marcin Wiącek.
• Until the new Commissioner assumes office following the oath taken before the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights is headed by Deputy Commissioner Stanisław Trociuk.

The tenure of University of Warsaw Professor Dr. Hab. Marcin Wiącek as Commissioner for Human Rights was a period of exceptional challenges for the protection of human rights and civil liberties, encompassing the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the humanitarian crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border, the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, issues related to the rule of law, and citizens' access to justice.

Between 2021 and 2026, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights considered over 150,000 cases, of which 56,000 were taken up for investigation, and in 74,000 cases, explanations were provided or available courses of action were indicated to citizens. During the 8th term, the total number of new cases submitted to the Commissioner for Human Rights since the inception of the office exceeded one million.

General interventions were a key tool in the Commissioner's activities, with 2,382 submitted during the term. The highest number were addressed to the Ministry of Justice (over 200), the Ministry of Health (94), and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (47). Fifty-seven interventions were submitted to the Prime Minister.

The Commissioner also actively exercised procedural powers. A total of 709 legal appeals were filed with the Supreme Court, 108 with voivodeship administrative courts, and 80 with the Supreme Administrative Court. Additionally, the Commissioner participated in 68 proceedings pending before the Constitutional Tribunal.

The primary challenges for the protection of human rights during the 8th term included the crisis of the judiciary and the associated decline in citizens' trust in the effective protection of their rights, the situation of refugees and migrants, systemic issues in healthcare, and the lack of effective safeguards against excessive surveillance of citizens. At the same time, the independence of the Commissioner's office and the need to build public trust in state institutions took on special significance.

Throughout his term as Commissioner, Marcin Wiącek repeatedly emphasized that the role of the office is to stand on the side of the citizen in relations with the state, regardless of ongoing political and ideological disputes.

Until the new Commissioner for Human Rights assumes office after taking the oath before the Sejm, the Office of the Commissioner is headed by Deputy Commissioner Stanisław Trociuk.