Human Rights

ECtHR: Attending a Demonstration is Not Proof of Membership in Terrorist Organization

July 14, 2020

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favor of a Turkish citizen who was convicted on terrorism-related charges for attending, on four different occasions, demonstrations for the pro-Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a recognized terrorist organization, going against the original ruling citing the individuals right to freedom of expression.
Activists Challenge Moscow's Use of Facial Recognition Surveillance at ECtHR

July 11, 2020

Activist Alyona Popova and politician Vladimir Milov have lodged a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights over Russia's use of facial recognition technology during protests, an action their lawyer explained will be the first case in the ECtHR challenging the use of such technology to conduct mass surveillance.
Politico: EU Privacy Enforcer Faces Scrutiny

May 27, 2020

According to Politico.eu, European Union ("EU") data protection officials are concerned about the slow start and early restructuring of Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which, due to the presence of Silicon Valley companies' international headquarters in Dublin, is at the vanguard of the enforcement of the EU's tough privacy standards.
Switzerland Supreme Court Rejects Climate Change Lawsuit

May 27, 2020

Finding that it is too early to claim fundamental human rights violations based on climate change, the Supreme Court of Switzerland has denied an appeal by the Senior Women for Climate Change Protection alleging that Switzerland's government was failing to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions in a way that would correspond with the Paris Agreement's goal of keeping global warming well below 2ºC.
Britain Ready to Reject EU Demands on Human Rights Laws

March 04, 2020

According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph, Britain is preparing to reject EU demands to guarantee that the country will continue to be bound by European human rights laws once the UK becomes fully independent.
Slovakia Parliament Rejects Women's Rights Treaty

March 03, 2020

Slovakia lawmakers have voted to reject the so-called Istanbul Convention, an international treaty adopted by the Council of Europe in 2011 in a bid to fight violence against women throughout Europe.
Turkey Threatens to Send Syrian Refugees to Europe

March 02, 2020

Frustrated by the failure of leading European nations to intervene in recent military attacks across the Turkish border in Syria, the Turkish government is threatening to send its increasing number of Syrian refugees on the path toward Europe.
Josep Borrell Slammed for ‘Greta syndrome’ Remark

February 11, 2020

Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, came under criticism for calling into question the commitment of young climate activists, including a reference to teenage climate campaigner Greta Thunberg as giving rise to the ‘Greta syndrome.’
ECJ AG: Bulk Data Collection Violates European Privacy Law

January 21, 2020

According to a non-binding opinion of European Court of Justice Advocate General Campos Sánchez-Bordona, bulk data collection violates European privacy law.
Turkish Constitutional Court Reverses Ban on Wikipedia

December 31, 2019

In a 10-6 decision, the Constitutional Court of Turkey ruled that the Turkish government's block on Wikipedia constituted a violation of freedom of expression, paving the way for the immediate lifting of a two-year-old ban.