Human Rights

CJEU Clarifies Rules for State Surveillance

November 11, 2020

The Court of Justice of the European Union ("CJEU") in an October decision, held that the national security laws of the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium, which require that providers of electronic communications services ("ECS") must retain traffic and location data on a general and indiscriminate basis, contravene EU law.
Dutch Teacher Threatened for Showing Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

November 09, 2020

One month after a teacher in France was beheaded for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his class, a Dutch high school teacher was threatened after displaying the same Charlie Hebdo cartoons, leading to the arrest of an 18 year old woman and tensions in the Netherlands, as fears of ripple effects mount.
More EU Sanctions for Belarus Officials

November 04, 2020

EU ambassadors approved sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes against a second list of 15 Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, who the bloc accuses of election fraud and repression.
New Sanctions Program to Address Human Rights Violations Proposed for EU

October 28, 2020

The European Commission and the EU's Foreign Policy High Representative have put forward a proposal for a new, non-country-based sanctions program to address human rights violations and abuses with asset freezes and travel bans which must be approved by all 27 Member States within the EU Council before it becomes law.
ECJ Rules against Government Collection of Citizen Mobile and Internet Data

October 09, 2020

The European Court of Justice ("ECJ") has ruled that, except in cases of national security, member states must not collect mass mobile and internet data of their citizens.
EU Nations Battle Over the Istanbul Convention

October 09, 2020

European Union institutions and member states spent Tuesday arguing in court over the legality of the Istanbul Convention, a 2014 treaty that requires States Parties to prevent and punish “all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women.” with thirteen of the Council’s 47 member states, including Hungary and the UK, refusing to sign the convention over concerns the treaty threatens traditional family values and oversteps EU law.
European Court Imposes Duty on State to Prevent Potential Harm from Specific Credible Threat of Gun Violence

October 05, 2020

In a major case involving state responsibility for foreseeing and preventing gun violence, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that, in failing to properly investigate a known possible occurrence of school-based gun violence, Finland violated its duty under the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the right to life of potential victims.
Von der Leyen Seeks Universal Migration Plan for EU

September 23, 2020

After finding consensus for a Covid 19 recovery plan, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen seeks to create a common migration policy for all of Europe that she hopes will bring "together all aspects of migration, border management and screening, asylum and integration, and return and relations with international partners."
EU Plans to Take on Human Rights Abusers

September 21, 2020

Amid a global assault on human rights stretching from Belarus to Hong Kong to Yemen, Europe's chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, announced in her first-ever State of the Union speech that she will bring forth a European Magnitsky Act, a sanctions framework modeled after a U.S. law that restricts malign actors' access to travel and the global financial system.
ECtHR President Urges Turkey to Respect Rule of Law

September 10, 2020

During a visit to Turkey, which has engaged in the controversial suppression and imprisonment of some judges, academics, and opposition party members, European Court of Human Rights President Robert Spano stressed the importance of respecting the rule of law and judicial independence.