Polish Ombudsman faces scrutiny over child removal and past contracts

A Warsaw court has ordered the return of two young children to their parents following a controversial intervention by the Polish Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, Monika Horna-Cieślak. The court criticized the Ombudsman for using institutional pressure and direct communication with a judge to facilitate the removal of the children, a move described as ‘grossly disproportionate’ to the incident. The intervention followed a report by Horna-Cieślak regarding a street encounter where she observed a woman shouting at and physically pulling children.

The court found the justification for separating the family—which included the discovery of two beers during a police search—to be insufficient for such a drastic measure. Family law judge Tomasz Bac noted that the Ombudsman’s actions risked undermining judicial independence by bypassing formal legal procedures.

In addition to the custody dispute, Horna-Cieślak faces scrutiny regarding her past professional ties. Reports indicate she entered into 16 contracts with the Institute of Justice (IWS) between 2016 and 2023 without competitive bidding, totaling approximately 224,000 PLN. While the IWS stated that the individual contract amounts did not trigger public procurement requirements, the revelations have fueled political backlash. Members of the Law and Justice Party and Konfederacja have called for her removal, citing excessive media activity and overstepping her official mandate.