Human Rights

EU Panel Seeks Global Application of "Right to Be Forgotten"

November 26, 2014

An EU panel of national privacy regulators from across the bloc has called for the Court of Justice of the EU's "right to be forgotten" decision, which ordered Google to take down some of its search engine results upon request by European citizens, to be extended to the company's search domains outside Europe.
ECHR Calls for Belgium Review of Prison Conditions

November 26, 2014

In a decision granting an applicant compensation for alleged human rights violations in Belgian prisons, including his sharing cells with smokers, the European Court of Human Rights ("ECHR") called on Belgium to adopt "general measures guaranteeing prisoners adequate conditions of detention."
FRA Calls for EU "Child Protection System"

November 26, 2014

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights ("FRA") has called for the EU to protect, among other things, the economic and social rights of European children by putting together "an integrated child protection system" that operates across the bloc.
U.K. Justice Criticizes "Slavish" Adherence to ECHR Rulings

November 19, 2014

In a recent speech, Lord Toulson of the U.K. Supreme Court argued that in the early years of the U.K. Human Rights Act, which requires British courts to "take into account" rulings of the European Court of Human Rights ("ECHR"), judges "went too far" in considering themselves bound by ECHR decisions.
Moore: ECHR Advances Human Rights Religion

November 05, 2014

Charles Moore writes that the European Court of Human Rights' ("ECHR") attempt to impose a secular religion of international human rights law on European countries is a threat to democratic governance.
Howarth: U.K. MPs Face "Unenviable" Choice on Arrest Warrant

November 05, 2014

Christopher Howarth of the think tank Open Europe explains the upcoming vote by British Members of Parliament ("MPs") on whether to opt into the European Arrest Warrant and thus to grant the determination of whether U.K. citizens and others are removed to other countries to the Court of Justice of the EU.
FRA Seeks Recognition of EU Charter as "Living Instrument"

October 29, 2014

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights ("FRA") recently held an event in Rome seeking to increase the impact of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights on European law by interpreting the Charter as a "living instrument."
CoE Criticizes Dutch Treatment of Migrants

October 17, 2014

The Council of Europe ("CoE") Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern over potential human rights violations related to the administrative detention of asylum seekers and criminal prosecution of children in The Netherlands.
CoE Calls for Protection of Socio-Economic Rights

October 15, 2014

The Council of Europe ("CoE") Commissioner for Human Rights has called for states to balance fiscal restraint against the recognition of "socio-economic rights" across Europe.
Senior U.K. Judge Considers Arguments for Written Constitution

October 15, 2014

In a recent speech, President of the U.K. Supreme Court Lord Neuberger considered the arguments for and against a written British constitution, stating that such a document might take the place of the current "semi-constitution" of the European Convention on Human Rights.