Human Rights

ECtHR: Polish Detention Measures Violated Man's Rights

June 15, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has held that the Polish authorities' prolonged solitary detention of a man accused of taking part in an international organized criminal group during his trial and placement in a cage in the courtroom during the criminal proceedings violated the man's rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
ECtHR: Gay Marriage Ban Does Not Violate Rights

June 14, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has held, in the case of the annulment by French authorities of a marriage between two men before the country passed a law permitting gay marriage, that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples did not violate the European Convention on Human Rights.
CoE Agents Express Concerns on Polish Media Law

June 10, 2016

Two representatives of the Council of Europe have drafted an opinion on a Polish "Big Media Law Package" expressing concerns about the impacts of the legislation on media independence and pluralism.
CoE Launches Convention on "Welcoming" Sports Stadiums

June 10, 2016

The Council of Europe has announced a new convention it will call on governments to sign during the EURO 2016 soccer tournament on ensuring the safety of sports stadiums during competition and also guaranteeing "a welcoming atmosphere inside and outside stadiums."
FRA Publishes Outline on Surveillance Research

June 09, 2016

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has published a background document on its ongoing research regarding the impact of national intelligence authorities' online surveillance on fundamental rights and remedies for individuals who complain that these authorities have breached their right to privacy.
ECtHR: Russian "Insult" Sanction Violated Speech Rights

June 07, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has held that a criminal fine of a Russian newspaper editor for publishing an article complaining of corruption on the part of a mayor violated the editor's right to freedom of expression, as the Russian courts failed to weigh this freedom against the mayor's "right to respect for reputation."
EU Committee Pushes Focus on Rights in Border Protection

June 06, 2016

The European Economic and Social Committee has published an opinion calling on EU officials manning the borders of the bloc to prioritize the human rights of migrants and the right of citizens to free movement within the EU in their work and pushing for a common EU asylum system and migration policy.
ECtHR Pushes Clear Standards on Terror Questioning

June 03, 2016

In a recent case involving a terror suspect's claims that police physically abused him while he was in incommunicado custody, the European Court of Human Rights called on the Government of Spain to adopt clear standards for law enforcement officers on questioning these suspects and ensuring their safety.
ECtHR Finds Danish Family Reunion Law Discriminatory

June 02, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has concluded that a Danish law exempting people who have held Danish citizenship for 28 years from a requirement that couples have a stronger tie with Denmark than with another country before they are allowed to both settle in Denmark is discriminatory against non-natives and therefore violated a couple's right to family life.
FRA Calls for Formal EU Disability Rights Framework

June 02, 2016

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has called on EU institutions, through a binding law, to formally define the specific roles and responsibilities of bodies committed to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities throughout the regional bloc.