Core international crimes:

Crime of Aggression

Crimes Against Humanity

Genocide

War Crimes



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Domestic
Legislation
Judicial Decisions Resources and
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Domestic Legislation on International Crimes

Crimes

Crime of Aggression / Crimes against Peace

The waging of a war of aggression is a punishable crime under Article 117 (Chapter XVI: "Crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes", Special Section) of the Penal Code of the Republic of Poland. See:

  • Penal Code Act of 6 June 1997. Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, No. 88, Pos. 553 (Dz.U.97.88.553), 2 August 1997. [ENG]

    Additionally, Poland ratified the Kampala amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression on 25 September 2014:

  • Latvia, Poland and Spain ratify the amendments to the Rome Statute on article 8 related to war crimes and on the crime of aggression
    ICC-ASP-20140929-PR1044, Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, 29Sep14 [ENG]
  • España, Letonia y Polonia ratifican las enmiendas del Estatuto de Roma relativas al artículo 8, referente a los crímenes de guerra, y al crimen de agresión
    Comunicado de Prensa ICC-ASP-20140929-PR1044, Nueva York, 29sep14 [ESL]

    Crimes Against Humanity

    Crimes against Humanity are defined in Articles 119-121 (Chapter XVI: "Crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes", Special Section) of the Penal Code of the Republic of Poland. See:

  • Penal Code Act of 6 June 1997. Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, No. 88, Pos. 553 (Dz.U.97.88.553), 2 August 1997. [ENG]

    Genocide

    Genocide is defined in Article 118 (Chapter XVI: "Crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes", Special Section) of the Penal Code of the Republic of Poland. Article 240 also punishes the failure to give notice to law enforcement authorities by those who know about the preparation of the crime. See:

  • Penal Code Act of 6 June 1997. Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, No. 88, Pos. 553 (Dz.U.97.88.553), 2 August 1997. [ENG]

    War Crimes

    War crimes are defined in Articles 121-126 (Chapter XVI: "Crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes", Special Section) of the Penal Code of the Republic of Poland. See:

  • Penal Code Act of 6 June 1997. Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, No. 88, Pos. 553 (Dz.U.97.88.553), 2 August 1997. [ENG]

    Jurisdiction

    The jurisdictional regime for crimes committed abroad is provided for under Articles 109-114 (Chapter XIII: "Responsibility for crimes committed abroad"), of the Penal Code of Poland. See:

  • Penal Code Act of 6 June 1997. Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, No. 88, Pos. 553 (Dz.U.97.88.553), 2 August 1997. [ENG]

    International Criminal Court

    Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: The Republic of Poland signed the Rome Statute on 09 April 1999 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 12 November 2001.

    Upon ratification the Republic of Poland made the following notification under article 87 (1) and (2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:
      "In accordance with Article 87 paragraph 2 of the Statute the Republic of Poland declares that applications on cooperation submitted by Court and documents added to them shall be made in Polish language."
    The Republic of Poland ratified the Kampala amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression on 25 September 2014:

  • Latvia, Poland and Spain ratify the amendments to the Rome Statute on article 8 related to war crimes and on the crime of aggression
    ICC-ASP-20140929-PR1044, Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, 29Sep14 [ENG]
  • España, Letonia y Polonia ratifican las enmiendas del Estatuto de Roma relativas al artículo 8, referente a los crímenes de guerra, y al crimen de agresión
    Comunicado de Prensa ICC-ASP-20140929-PR1044, Nueva York, 29sep14 [ESL]

  • Judicial Decisions

    - Under construction -


    Links

  • The Constitution of the Republic of Poland. (2 April 1997)
    The SEJM of the Republic of Poland. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug17]. [External Link]

  • Kodeks karny. Ustawa z dnia 6 czerwca 1997 r. - (Penal Code - Act of 6 June 1997).
    Dziennik Ustaw or Dziennik Ustaw Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. [POL]. [Last accessed 24Aug17]. [External Link]

  • Code of Criminal Procedure. (Act of 6 June 1997).
    United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug17]. [External Link to pdf document]

  • The Polish Legal System.
    N-Lex, EUR-Lex. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug17]. [External Link]

  • Dziennik Ustaw or Dziennik Ustaw Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. (Official Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, abbreviated Dz. U.).
    [POL]. [Last accessed 24Aug17]. [External Link]

  • Monitor Polski. (The Polish Monitor).
    [POL]. [Last accessed 24Aug17]. [External Link]

  • List of International Humanitarian Law Treaties to which Poland is a State party.
    International Committee of the Red Cross. [ENG]. [Last accessed 25Aug17]. [External Link]