Deficyty polskiego ustawodawstwa w zakresie przeciwdziałania mowie nienawiści i przestępstwom z nienawiści

The phenomenon of hate speech and hate crimes is not easily captured in the legal definitions and is often described as controversial due to the difficulties with identifying the “hateful element” of words and deeds. Another significant reason for the difficulties concerning penalisation in the area in question is the strict (and for many unjustified) limitation imposed on freedom of speech, assembly and association, which are the freedoms most often affected by the anti-hate provisions of law. Nevertheless the obligations included in the international human rights law oblige Polish legislators to introduce and implement proper mechanisms of counteracting these extremely negative and socially dangerous phenomenon. However, many questions arise: Are the international standards of human rights law fully reflected in the Polish legal provisions and practice? How are the areas demanding alteration and endorsement being defined? What are the obstacles that unable the process of protecting all groups particularly endangered by hate speech and hate crimes? Are the provisions of law a sufficient and effective barrier against spreading hatred in the public sphere? This article seeks to answer all the questions posed above. It also attempts to demonstrate the complexity of the analysed problems, placing them in the centre of the gene-ral discussion on tolerance, minorities protection and the functions of the antidiscrimination law within democratic state and society.