This article analyses the amendments of January 2018 to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance (INR) of 1998, which has raised doubts in light of in ternational law and provoked diplomatic tensions between Poland on one side and Germany, Ukraine, United States of America and Israel on the other. The INR is a national in stitution whose role is, among others, to prosecute perpetrators of in ternational crimes committed between 1917-1990. The article proves that the wording of the amendments is in consistent with in ternational law, as it ignores the principles of in ternational responsibility, definitions of in ternational crimes, and disproportionately limits freedom of expression. In consequence, it cannot be expected that third states will cooperate with Poland in the execution of responsibility for violation of the newly adopted norms.

In response to a legislative initiative of the Minister of Education and Science to regulate academic freedom, the Committee of Ethics in Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences states that the initiative does not identify a problem with freedom of expression of worldview, religious or philosophical convictions but produces it. The initiative does not distinguish between the methodological demands of science that apply to individuals as researchers and the freedom of expression enjoyed by citizens. It encourages legitimization of non-scientific and anti-scientific claims within academic debate. In consequence, implementation of the proposed regulation will have a negative impact on the quality of scientific research and public debate in Poland.