Transitional justice - Commissioner for Human Rights

Transitional Justice and Human Rights Protection in Europe. The spectre of violent conflicts and dictatorships still lingers across several regions and ... SkiptoContent Home TheCommissioner Countrymonitoring Thematicwork Humanrightsdefenders Documents ActivityReports Countrywork Issuepapers Opinions Publications Rule9 Thirdpartyinterventions Recommendations HumanRightsComments Press News Opinionarticles Video Youarehere: CommissionerforHumanRights Thematicwork/Transitionaljustice/ TransitionalJusticeandHumanRightsProtectioninEurope ThespectreofviolentconflictsanddictatorshipsstilllingersacrossseveralregionsandcountriesofEurope,makingthefullenjoymentofhumanrights,democracyandtheruleoflawillusoryformanyEuropeans.Continuinginstability,deepdivisions,thelackofresourcesandoffunctioninginstitutionsmakereconciliationandtherebuildingofpeaceinaffectedsocietiesadauntingchallengewhichstateshavetoconfront. Whilethereisnouniquepackageofmeasuresfordealingwith,pastoron-going,serioushumanrightsviolations,historyshowsthatdurablesolutionscannotbeachievedunlesstheyarebasedonthepillarsofjustice,reparations,truth,andguaranteesofnon-recurrence. Whatevercombinationoftransitionaljusticemeasuresischosenbystates,itmustbeinconformitywithEuropeanhumanrightsstandards,notablythoseemanatingfromtheEuropeanConventiononHumanRightsandtheStrasbourgCourt’scaselaw. Duringhercountryvisitsandcontinuousdialogueswithnationalauthoritiesandcivilsociety,theCommissionertakesnoteoftheprogressachieved.Shealsoidentifiestheremainingchallengesandprovidesadvicetomemberstatesonwaystoensuretherespectofhumanrightsinthecontextoftransitionaljusticeprocesses. Specialpage "Srebrenicagenocide.Victims'longfightforJustice." Issuepapers MissingpersonsandvictimsofenforceddisappearanceinEurope(March2016) AlsoinFrench|Russian Post-warjusticeanddurablepeaceintheformerYugoslavia(February2012) AlsoinBosnian|Croatian|Serbian Opinionarticles Opinion:TheDaytonAccordscouldonlydosomuch(2020) AddressingtheneedsofthevictimsoftheSrebrenicagenocidemustbethepriority(2015) Justicehastobedoneforalltheerased(2013) PositionPapers Positionsonpost-warjusticeanddurablepeaceintheformerYugoslavia(February2012) Asummaryofconclusionsandrecommendationsconcerningpost-warjusticeanddurablepeaceintheformerYugoslaviabasedontheCommissioner'scountry-monitoringreports,viewpointsandhumanrightscomments. Resources Selectedrecentcase-lawoftheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights Anchevv.Bulgaria–decisionof5December2017concerningacomplaintbyalawyerhavingheldanumberofhigh-rankingpostsaboutbeingexposedforaffiliationwiththeformersecurityservicesduringthecommunistregime Karajanovv.theformerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia–judgmentof6April2017aboutthepublicationofadecisionofalustrationcommissiononitswebsitebeforeithadbecomefinalandthedamagingeffectsofthisontheapplicant’sreputation Ivanovskiv.“TheformerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia”–judgmentof21January2016concerninglustrationproceedingsagainstthethenpresidentoftheConstitutionalCourt,asaresultofwhichhewasdismissedfromoffice Vasiliauskasv.Lithuania–GrandChamberjudgmentof20October2015abouttheforeseeabilityofaconvictionforgenocideforthekillingoftwoLithuanianpartisansin1953 Perinçekv.Switzerland–GrandChamberjudgmentof15October2015concerningacriminalconvictionforstatementsmadeaboutthemassacreanddeportationofArmeniansbytheOttomanEmpirein1915(aswellasreviewingtheCourt’scase-lawconcerningHolocaustdenial) Sõrov.Estonia–judgmentof3September2015concerningpublicdisclosureofanindividual’spastemploymentasadriverfortheKGB Ališićandothersv.BiH,Croatia,Serbia,Sloveniaand“theformerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia”-GrandChamberfinaljudgmentof16July2014,concerningnon-paymentof‘oldsavings’accountsdenominatedinforeigncurrency Zornićv.BosniaandHerzegovina -judgmentof15July2014,concerningineligibilitytostandforcertainelectionsofanapplicantwhodidnotdeclareaffiliationwithanyofthethree"constituentpeople"ofBosniaandHerzegovina Jelićv.Croatia-jugmentof12June2014,concerningnoadequateinvestigationintothedeathofhusbandkilledbytheCroatianpolice Margušv.Croatia-finaljudgmentof27May2014,concerningtheprocedingsbroughtagainstacommanderintheCroatianarmyforthemurderandseriouswoundingofciviliansin1991duringthewarinCroatia GürtekinandOthersv.Cyprus,inadmissibilitydecisionof11March2014abouttheCyprusauthorities’decisiontocloseafreshinvestigationintokillingscarriedoutduringintercommunalconflictsinCyprusin1963-1964 MaktoufandDamjanovićv.BiH -GrandChamberjudgmentof18July2013,concerningtheretroactiveapplicationofcriminallawlayingdownheaviersentencesforwartimecrimesthanthelawinforcewhenthecrimeswerecommitted Kurićandothersv.Slovenia -GrandChamberjudgmentof26June2012,concerningthe‘erased'persons Janowiecandothersv.Russia -GrandChamberjudgmentof 21October2013,concerningmissingpersonsintheKatyncase Palićv.BosniaandHerzegovina -judgmentof15February2011,concerningastate'sproceduralobligationtoinvestigateintoacaseofmissingperson Jularićv.Croatia -judgmentof20January2011,concerninginadequateandineffectiveinvestigationintothecircumstancessurroundingthekillingoftheapplicant'shusband SkendžićandKrznarićv.Croatia -judgmentof20January2011,concerningineffectivenessandthelackofindependenceoftheauthoritiesinvolvedininvestigatingthedisappearanceoftheapplicants'closerelative Đokićv.BiH-finaljudgmentof4October2010,concerningtherightoftheapplicant,aformermemberofthearmedforcesoftheformerYugoslavia,toregainthepossessionandregistertheownershipofhispre-warapartmentintheFederationofBiH Čolicandothersv.BIH-finaljudgmentof28June2010,concerningthenon-enforcementoffinaldomesticcourtdecisionsorderingpaymentofwardamages Kononovv.Latvia–GrandChamberjudgmentof17May2010aboutaconvictionunderlegislationintroducedin1993forwarcrimescommittedduringtheSecondWorldWar SejdićandFinciv.BosniaandHerzegovina -GrandChamberjudgmentof22December2009,concerningtheapplicants'ineligibilitytostandforelectiontotheHouseofPeoplesandthePresidencyofBosniaandHerzegovinaonthegroundoftheirRomaandJewishorigin Kenediv.Hungary–judgmentof26May2009concerningahistorian’scomplaintabouttheauthorities’protractedreluctancetoenforceacourtordergrantinghimaccesstoarchivesoftheformerstatesecurityservices Radanovićv.Croatia-finaljudgmentof21March2007,concerningtheapplicant’srighttoherpropertywhichwasallocatedforusetoanotherpersonduringthewarinCroatia KolkandKislyiyv.Estonia–decisionsof17January2006aboutcriminalconvictionsforcrimesagainsthumanityforparticipationin1949deportationsfromoccupiedEstoniatoremoteareasoftheSovietUnion DocumentsbytheCouncilofEuropeCommitteeofMinisters  2011Guidelinesoneradicatingimpunityforserioushumanrightsviolations 2011Recommendationoninterculturaldialogueandtheimageoftheotherinhistoryteaching 2001Recommendationonhistoryteachingintwenty-first-centuryEurope 2009Recommendationonprinciplesconcerningmissingpersonsandthepresumptionofdeath 2000RecommendationonaEuropeanpolicyonaccesstoarchives PACEresolutionsandrecommendationsrelatingtothepost-conflictjustice  Resolution2157(2017)onhumanrightsintheNorthCaucasus:whatfollow-uptoResolution1738(2010) Resolution2134(2016)onco-operationwiththeInternationalCriminalCourt:towardsaconcreteandexpandedcommitment Resolution2106(2016):renewedcommitmentinthefightagainstanti-SemitisminEurope Resolution2067(2015)onmissingpersonsduringtheconflictinUkraine Resolution2057(2015)onculturalheritageincrisisandpost-crisissituations Resolution1956(2013)onmissingpersonsfromEurope’sconflicts:thelongroadtofindinghumanitariananswers Resolution1786(2011)onthereconciliationandpoliticaldialoguebetweenthecountriesoftheformerYugoslavia Resolution1785(2011)ontheobligationofmemberandobserverstatesoftheCouncilofEuropetoco-operateintheprosecutionofwarcrimes Resolution1784(2011)ontheprotectionofwitnessesasacornerstoneforjusticeandreconciliationintheBalkans Resolution1738(2010)onlegalremediesforhumanrightsviolationsintheNorthCaucasusRegion Resolution1708(2010)onsolvingpropertyissuesofrefugeesanddisplacedpersons Recommendation1880(2009)onhistoryteachinginconflictandpost-conflictareas Resolution1481(2006)ontheneedforinternationalcondemnationofcrimesoftotalitariancommunistregimes Resolution1096(1996)Measurestodismantletheheritageofformercommunisttotalitariansystems CouncilofEuropetreaties  FourthAdditionalProtocoltotheEuropeanConventiononExtradition (2012) ThirdAdditionalProtocoltotheEuropeanConventiononExtradition (2010) CouncilofEuropeConventiononAccesstoOfficialDocuments (2009) CouncilofEuropeConventionontheavoidanceofstatelessnessinrelationtoStatesuccession (2006) EuropeanConventiononNationality (1997) FrameworkConventionfortheProtectionofNationalMinorities (1995) SecondAdditionalProtocoltotheEuropeanConventiononExtradition (1978) AdditionalProtocoltotheEuropeanConventiononExtradition (1975) EuropeanConventionontheNon-ApplicabilityofStatutoryLimitationtoCrimesagainstHumanityandWarCrimes (1974) EuropeanConventiononExtradition (1957) External resources Internationalinstrumentsontransitionaljustice UNSpecialRapporteuronthepromotionoftruth,justice,reparationandguaranteesofnon-recurrence UNCommitteeonEnforcedDisappearances(CED) UNWorkingGrouponEnforcedorInvoluntaryDisappearances InternationalCriminalTribunalfortheformerYugoslavia Kosovo*SpecialistChambers&SpecialistProsecutor'sOffice UNtreatybodiesjurisprudence UNHumanRightsCommittee,CommunicationNo1510/2006,DušanVojnovicv.Croatia,Viewsof30/03/2009(caseconcerningproceedingsinrelationwiththeterminationoftheauthor'sspeciallyprotectedtenancy) InternationalCourtofJustice(ICJ),judgmentof26February2007ontheapplicationoftheConventiononthePreventionandPunishmentoftheCrimeofGenocide(BosniaandHerzegovinav.SerbiaandMontenegro) *AllreferencetoKosovo,whethertotheterritory,institutionsorpopulation,inthistextshallbeunderstoodinfullcompliancewithUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilResolution1244andwithoutprejudicetothestatusofKosovo. Srebrenica:TheMothers’fightforjusticeshouldinspireusall Displaydate 10/07/22 UnitedKingdom:backslidingonhumanrightsmustbeprevented Displaydate 04/07/22 InternationalCriminalCourtneedsrobustandlong-termsupport Displaydate 30/06/22 more... ReconciliationStalledintheWesternBalkans Displaydate 21/11/17 WhyrememberingtheHolocaustisahumanrightsimperative Displaydate 18/10/16 Humanrightsdefenders’workisvitalforredresstovictimsofenforceddisappearance Displaydate 29/08/16 more... ReportonArmeniarecommendsmeasurestoimprovewomen’srights,protectionofdisadvantagedorvulnerablegroups,andestablishingaccountabilityforpasthumanrightsviolations Displaydate 29/01/19 BosniaandHerzegovinaauthoritiesshouldsparenoefforttobuildatrulycohesivesocietyandeffectivelyprotectmediafreedom Displaydate 06/11/17 Justice,socialcohesionandmediafreedomremaintopchallengesinKosovo* Displaydate 09/04/17 more... ThelongfightforjusticeoftheMothersofSrebrenicaandZepa Displaydate 26/06/19 Commissioner’saddresstotheSecondGlobalForumagainsttheCrimeofGenocide Displaydate 10/12/18 CommemorationoftheRomaHolocaust:ourdutytoremember,andtocombatpersistinganti-Gypsyismintoday’sEurope Displaydate 02/08/18 more...