These are reports written and compiled by Civil Rights Defenders’ experts. The aim is to give an overview of crucial human rights issues in the countries and regions where we work. The reports are updated annually.
(Updated in October 2012) In last four years, Macedonia has shown little progress towards meeting EU criteria as regards strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights, and the country still has not met the necessary requirements for EU membership. The political sphere and developments there were marked by weak dialogue between political [...]
(Updated in October 2012) Four years after the declaration of independence, Kosovo still faces the challenge of becoming a state based on the principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rights. The challenges lying ahead are immense, as regards accomplishing the required reforms in the judiciary, public administration and the fight against corruption. [...]
(Updated in October 2012) The awareness of citizens regarding domestic laws and the European Convention on Human Rights (EctHR) remains low. Nevertheless, the ECtHR is considered to be the most important and secure legal instrument to guarantee human rights protection and reinstatement of violated rights. Up to now, the European Court has delivered 33 judgments [...]
(Updated in October 2012) Since October 2009, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered 61 judgments finding that Serbia had violated the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in 54 cases. At the time of reporting, there are 7.050 applications against Serbia pending, which is almost 4.6% of all [...]
(Updated in October 2012) Montenegro is a state party to all major international human rights standards, but ratification of some conventions has been delayed. The final version of the new Constitution adopted in October 2007 generally provides favourable human rights protection. However, some pieces of legislation that were adopted after the new Constitution are still [...]
(Updated in August 2012) In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the implementation of ratified UN and international human rights conventions remains uneven and partial. The on-going political disputes are still directing attention away from major human rights issues. Up till now, BIH has not implemented the European Court of Human Rights ruling in the Case of Sejdic [...]
Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has since had a poor human rights record. The country is an authoritarian regime ruled by the Aliyev family. In 2009, Aliyev initiated a popular referendum, which resulted in the two-term limit on the presidency being removed. The parliamentary elections in 2010 were characterized by widespread fraud according to international observers. The country lacks independent media and the government severely limits the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
(Updated in February 2012) Human rights defenders across Southeast Asia’s lower Mekong countries are fighting against restrictions on freedom of expression. The situation, however, is extremely varied across the nations: while there is widespread fear and over 2,000 activists in prison in Burma, activists in Thailand are able to publicly discuss and criticise restrictions on [...]
(Updated in January 2012) East Africa encompasses Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and in a wider sense also Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia (including the self-declared republic of Somaliland). The East African region is long subjected to economic underdevelopment and unequal terms of trade and conflict. At the same time, it [...]
(Updated in January 2012) The era after gaining independence has been turbulent for the five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia is still described as one of the most repressive regions in the world. Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources [...]
(Updated December 2011) The overall situation in Belarus seemed to remain on a stable, negative level during 2009 and 2010 with small improvements as a result of the dialogue between Belarus and the EU. However, since the elections on December 19, 2010, the human rights situation has hit an all time low with a massive, [...]
(Updated in October 2011) Moldova is a country in political and constitutional crisis. Moldova held parliamentary elections twice in 2009 and once in November 2010. The results of the elections show a country that is almost evenly divided between the Communist Party, on the one hand, and pro-Western parties on the other. The pro-Western parties [...]
(Updated in May 2011) The overall human rights climate in Russia remains very negative. Russia is a highly corrupt country at all official levels, which undermines the observance of the rule of law. Russia is also ranked among the top ten of the most dangerous countries in the world, and has undergone a massive rise [...]
(Updated in September 2009) It is easy to assert that Sweden does not have problems with serious offences against human rights as compared to other countries, but this is of little comfort to the individual whose rights are being violated. One of Civil Rights Defenders’ main tasks is to survey and report on the state [...]
Natasha Jevtic Esbjörnson
Phone: +46 76 576 27 62
His burnt body was returned to the family in a plastic bag. The European Court has found Russia responsible for human rights violations in the North Caucasus, in more than one hundred cases, as a result of our work.
(Photo: Joanna Kurosz)
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