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Free legal aid – an issue relevant to all countries
On 18-19 February Veliky Novgorod hosted a conference of the project “Electronic Human rights “, which graduates and experts from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine were able to discuss the implementation of forms of free legal aid in the participating countries.
CERD’s recommendations on combating racism in Poland
On 21 February, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published recommendations for Poland. It is suggested, for instance, that Poland should include racist motivation in the Criminal Code as an incriminating factor to be taken into account by a court in determining guilt and punishment. The CERD also recommends to continue work for the Roma community and bolster anti-Semitism initiatives in Poland.
Commencement of trial into unlawful detention of M.K.
M. K. was detained for 134 days due to an error of the court. Currently, he is seeking the payment of PLN 300,000 as compensation for moral loss. The first hearing in the M.K. case was held in the Circuit Court in Katowice.
Оказание бесплатной правовой помощи – вопрос, актуальный для всех стран мира
18-19 февраля в Великом Новгороде прошла конференция проекта «Дистанционное обучение адвокатов правам человека», на которой выпускники и эксперты из Азербайджана, Беларуси, Молдовы, России и Украины смогли обсудить формы реализации бесплатной правовой помощи в странах-участницах проекта.
Still the same problems with racial discrimination in Poland
Last week the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination considered the Polish government’s report on actions aimed at fighting racial discrimination. The UN Committee’s members probed the Polish government about the efficiency of proceedings in hate crimes, multi-layered Roma discrimination and stadium racism.
Sejm appointed subcommittee for enforcement of ECtHR judgments
On 5 February the Committee for Justice and Human Rights and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm unanimously appointed the permanent subcommittee for the enforcement of European Court of Human Rights judgments.
GCRT launches a project against sexual harassment in Georgia
On February 3rd, the Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT) presented the EC funded project – Helping those who suffer in silence – ensuring civic engagement to raise awareness on domestic violence and sexual abuse of women and children in Georgia.
Online critical opinions are not defamatory
District Court in Bydgoszcz today acquitted W.K., an employee accused of defaming his former employer who called the latter’s company a “Polish work camp”. The court held that the expression used by the defendant was his opinion which could not be prosecuted under article 212 of the Criminal Code. The court said that only statements about facts could be defamatory.
Belarusian authorities do not intent to invite Miklós Haraszti
Miklós Haraszti (right), UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, is still not allowed to enter the country. However, the Belarusian authorities are ready to invite a number of special rapporteurs and discuss only certain questions.