Poland
This country page describes, in brief, data that TJET has compiled on regime transitions, intrastate conflict episodes, and transitional justice mechanisms. For details on the data included on this page, view the FAQ.
For Poland, TJET has collected information on: six amnesties between 1983 and 1989; 19 domestic trials starting between 1984 and 2019; and two vetting policies starting between 1992 and 1998.
Select any transitional justice mechanism in the table below to view a timeline in the figure.
Country Background
Democratic Transition
Based on well-known democracy data, TJET records one democratic transition starting in 1989.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Violent Conflict
Based on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, TJET records no episodes of violent intrastate conflict in Poland between 1970 and 2020.
Transitional Justice Data
As of 2020, Poland ranks 136th out of 174 on TJET’s legacy of violence index. For a full list of country rankings over time, view the index page, and for an explanation of the index, view the Methods & FAQs page.
Amnesties
Poland had six amnesties between 1983 and 1989. Two occurred in the context of democratic transition. Six amnesties released political prisoners.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Domestic Trials
TJET has compiled data on 19 domestic prosecutions between 1984 and 2019. These include six transitional human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which eight persons were convicted; and 13 regular human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which 13 persons were convicted. In four trials that involved high-ranking state agents, three persons were convicted.
Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Vetting Policies
Poland had three vetting policies, starting in 1992; two of these ended by 2007. Three policies aimed to declassify the records of former state security agents. Two policies included legal consequences for non-disclosure of relevant past activities.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.