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European Parliamentarians Call on Council of Europe to Redraft Substandard Convention on Access to Official Documents
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted unanimously a resolution expressing concern that the world's first treaty intended to guarantee public access to information had significant flaws, reports the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Rights Groups Press Czech Government on Roma Education
Despite changes in legislation and a landmark ruling from Europe's highest court, racial segregation of Roma children remains a fixture of education in the Czech Republic, said the Open Society Justice Initiative.
AIDS Conference Looks at Pretrial Detention as a Public Health Issue
Two sessions at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City explored the role of pretrial detention in spreading disease.
U.S. Senate Hears Open Society Justice Initiative Testimony on Crimes Against Humanity
In June, Open Society Justice Initiative special counsel Diane Orentlicher provided expert testimony on crimes against humanity to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law.
Report Issues Stinging Indictment of News Censorship, Abuse of Public Money, Across Latin America
Rampant government interference with press freedom threatens editorial independence and access to unbiased news in seven Latin American countries, according to a report coproduced by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Karadžic Arrest Hailed as a Triumph for Victims and for Justice
The arrest of one of the world's most notorious fugitives, Radovan Karadžic, on genocide and other charges is a milestone in international justice and signifies major if long overdue progress by Serbia, the Open Society Justice Initiative said.
German Employment Case Focuses on Religious and Ethnic Discrimination
The Open Society Justice Initiative challenged religious and ethnic discrimination in a brief the organization filed in an employment case in Hamburg, Germany.
Rights Groups Demand Investigation of CIA's Extraordinary Rendition Program
Lawsuits against Germany, United States, and Macedonia seek justice for Khaled El Masri, a German citizen rendered to Afghanistan and tortured by the CIA, according to the Open Society Justice Initiative, who met with partner organizations in...
Open Society Justice Initiative Expert Gives Senate Testimony on Rape as War Crime
Kelly Askin, senior legal officer on international justice, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law about rape as a weapon of war.
Rights Groups Urge United Nations on Justice in Northern Uganda
In a letter sent to the UN Security Council, the Open Society Justice Initiative and two other leading human rights organizations urged the full pursuit of justice for mass crimes committed in northern Uganda.
Open Society Justice Initiative Applauds Torture Ruling
With Saadi v. Italy, the European Court of Human Rights has reaffirmed the European Convention ban on deporting people to countries where they are at risk of being tortured, in a decision hailed the Open Society Justice Initiative and other human...
New Report from Turkey Finds Accused Lack Legal Representation
An empirical study of legal aid in Istanbul jointly undertaken by the Open Society Justice Initiative and Istanbul Bilgi University found that only 10 percent of criminal defendants in Istanbul are represented by a lawyer.
Open Society Justice Initiative Commends Ruling on Prisoners' Rights in Kazakhstan, Calls for Investigation of Torture
A ruling by Kazakhstan's Constitutional Council overturning a legal provision limiting the rights of prisoners who protested against widespread torture in prison is a step in the right direction, but authorities must investigate prisoners'...
Open Society Justice Initiative Finds Racial Discrimination in Dutch Database
The Dutch government’s practice of gathering and processing sensitive racial and ethnic data infringes on the right to privacy and the right of freedom from racial and ethnic discrimination, according to a legal submission by the Open Society...
Lawsuit Seeks Greater Freedom of Expression in Sierra Leone
Journalists in Sierra Leone are challenging laws that criminalize free speech and authorize prison terms of up to seven years for those who criticize the government, reports the Open Society Justice Initiative, which is providing assistance with the suit.
Justice Initiative Hails German Court Judgment on Religious Discrimination
The Open Society Justice Initiative welcomed the recent judgment from Germany's Hamburg Labor Court that a Christian organization which aids immigrants engaged in discrimination when it refused to hire a non-Christian.
Rights Groups Denounce Greek Prosecutor's Racist Statement
A statement made by Greece's top prosecutor suggesting that certain ethnic groups are involved in crime is racist and must be retracted, reports the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Peruvian High Court Urged to Disclose Officials' Assets Declarations
The Open Society Justice Initiative intervened recently in a case before Peru's constitutional tribunal, urging full disclosure of the assets declarations of public officials.
Major Conclusions from the D.H. and Others v. Czech Republic Judgment
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the segregation of Roma students into special schools is a form of unlawful discrimination.
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.