European Institutions

ECtHR: Russia Violated Free Speech Rights of Punk Band

July 30, 2018

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held that the Russian government violated the right of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot to free expression when it jailed them on charges of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” for performing an anti-Putin song at a Moscow cathedral in 2012 and banned online access to the video of the event.
ECtHR Finds Russian Responsibility for Rights Abuse in MRT

July 30, 2018

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has concluded that the Russian government is responsible for the violation of property rights of over 1600 people living in the so-called “Moldovan Transdniestrian Republic” (MRT) by permitting the MRT, which could not survive without Russian support, to take over their land and personal property.
ECtHR: Investigation of Russian Journalist’s Murder Violated Rights

July 30, 2018

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held that Russia’s investigation of the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who had been critical of the country’s current administration, had violated her right to life because authorities had failed to properly investigate who had arranged her killing.
UK Officials Accept “Reciprocation” Amendments to Brexit Bill

July 27, 2018

The Guardian reports that the UK government has accepted amendments to its Brexit legislation prohibiting the government from striking a deal with the EU in which the UK would collect value-added tax (VAT) or duties on goods bound for the EU without the EU agreeing to reciprocate by collecting such taxes on behalf of Britain.
British PM Rejects Calls for Second Brexit Referendum

July 27, 2018

The Evening Standard reports that British Prime Minister Theresa May has stated in response to calls from various Members of Parliament for a second Brexit referendum that there will be no such vote “under any circumstances.”