Human Rights

FRA Joins Talks on German Intelligence Activities

May 27, 2016

As part of its project on safeguards for fundamental rights in national intelligence and surveillance operations, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights recently participated in a conference hosted by the German Institute for Human Rights on integrating constitutional and human rights law in Germany's foreign intelligence activities.
FRA: EU States Have Duty to "Empower" Migrants

May 25, 2016

At a Rule of Law Dialogue organized by the Dutch Presidency of the EU, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights Michael O’Flaherty called on EU member states to fulfill their "responsibilities to engage, empower and support migrants" to uphold the rule of law.
ECHR Text Forms Basis for Major UK Privacy Ruling

May 20, 2016

The Telegraph explains how the UK Human Rights Act, which implemented the European Convention on Human Rights in British law, has become the first "privacy law" used to suppress news stories on public figures in the country.
ECtHR Penalizes UK for Long Detention of Iranian National

May 19, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered the UK to pay damages and costs to a convicted Iranian sex offender for leaving the man in detention for 55 months while the government attempted to convince him to return to Iran.
ECtHR: Hungary Violated Rights of Protesting Parliamentarians

May 17, 2016

The European Court of Human Rights has held that Hungary violated the right to free expression of Members of the Hungarian Parliament by fining them for various protests that disrupted parliamentary sessions because the sanctions procedures used did not offer the MPs a sufficient opportunity to defend themselves.
UK Plans to Split Courts from ECtHR Jurisprudence

May 16, 2016

The Telegraph reports that, following the upcoming referendum on EU membership, the British Government is planning a consultation on a Bill of Rights that would provide for the continued jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights ("ECtHR") over cases in the UK but eliminate the requirement that British judges "take into account" ECtHR rulings.
CoE Body Calls for Information "Firewall" for Migrant Rights

May 11, 2016

The Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has called for countries to establish a "firewall" to prevent the reporting of information on migrants from social services agencies, including medical care and education providers as well as social security and labor protection agencies, to immigration authorities.
FRA Seeks Role in Rights Processes at National Level

May 11, 2016

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has announced consultations with equality bodies, national human rights institutions, and ombudspersons across Europe on their communication with national parliaments in order to evaluate whether the Agency could contribute to and influence any of these processes.
FRA Seeks EU Monitoring Mechanism on Fundamental Values

May 04, 2016

At a meeting in Brussels with representatives from EU institutions, the Court of Justice of the EU, and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights ("FRA") advised participants on developing a mechanism to monitor compliance by the EU and its members with the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights.
FRA Workshop Seeks Monitoring of Data on "Social Inclusion"

April 28, 2016

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights ("FRA") has hosted a workshop for EU officials and authorities from EU member states to determine best practices in developing data to define and monitor the "social inclusion" of minority groups.