Newsroom
The Open Society Justice Initiative pursues strategic litigation and engages in policy advocacy in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Read our News Releases and Advocacy Updates on our work.
Europe's Highest Court Finds Racial Discrimination in Czech Schools
In a landmark decision, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that segregating Roma students into special schools is a form of unlawful discrimination that violates fundamental human rights.
November 13, 2007Open Society Justice Initiative Seeks Relief for Slovenia's “Erased” Citizens
In a brief submitted to the European Court of Human Rights, the Open Society Justice Initiative argued that the Slovene government's erasure of thousands of its citizens violated the European Convention of Human Rights.
October 16, 2007Open Society Justice Initiative Hails Mauritania's New Antislavery Law
The passage of an antislavery bill in Mauritania is an encouraging sign, but the Open Society Justice Initiative notes that it contains weaknesses that could undermine enforcement efforts.
August 21, 2007Europe's Highest Court Hears Oral Arguments in Landmark Segregation Case
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights heard arguments on a case launched by 18 Roma children forced to attend racially segregated schools in the Czech Republic, in one of the most important cases ever to come before the court,...
January 17, 2007New Study on Access to Information Finds Young Democracies Outperform Established Ones
An Open Society Justice Initiative survey of access to information shows that discrimination and inconsistency are still widespread.
September 28, 2006Groundbreaking Lawsuit Challenges Racial Profiling by Police
In the first-ever legal challenge to racial profiling filed with an international human rights tribunal, a coalition of advocacy groups including OSI submitted an application to the UN Human Rights Committee, seeking to halt racial profiling by police.
September 12, 2006Open Society Justice Initiative Condemns Roma Evictions
The forced eviction and destruction of homes belonging to more than 200 Roma was condemned by the Open Society Justice Initiative, who are pursuing an application with the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of several of the families.
July 06, 2006Groundbreaking Study Finds Massive Ethnic Profiling
Riders on the Moscow Metro who appear non-Slavic are over twenty times more likely to be stopped by police than those who look Slavic, according to Ethnic Profiling in the Moscow Metro, a new report produced by the Open Society Justice Initiative...
June 09, 2006