Law News
Amnesty international report 2006 shows growing human rights abuse in Europe
2005 was an uncomfortable year for the European Union, says Amnesty International on the day it publishes its annual report on the state of human rights in the world. In this year's edition almost all EU Member States are included in the report - an indication of persistent human rights shortcomings in Europe. The EU faced embarrassing exposure of its shortcomings in the area of asylum and "irregular" migration. At the same time, Member States were confronted with unprecedented scrutiny over methods used to fight terrorism.
"The CIA rendition scandal has put European governments on the defensive by exposing some of the disturbing practices carried out in the name of fighting terrorism. But its only the more public side of an erosion of rights that has taken place in Europe," said Dick Oosting, director of Amnesty's EU Office. The increasing failure to protect asylum seekers and uphold the rights of migrants is another reflection of the current defensive climate. More than half of EU Member States are included in Amnesty's report because of shortcomings in this area. Although Europe received fewer asylum requests than in previous years, governments reacted as if the opposite was true, introducing restrictive laws which fail to guarantee basic protection and sometimes using force to keep people out.
"What has been portrayed as an asylum crisis is really a protection crisis. Europe is not a welcoming continent for those fleeing persecution", said Dick Oosting. Abusive treatment by law enforcement officials was another frequent problem registered in the report, often aimed at foreign communities and other minorities. "The deterioration of human rights standards we see across Europe has broader implications: it weakens the EU's legitimacy to denounce abuses of other countries and it risks undermining the EU's essential role in the global protection of human rights", says Oosting. With the latest human rights review dating from before the attacks of 9/11, Amnesty International reiterates its call for the EU to develop a new coherent policy that addresses today's challenges.
Source: Amnesty International.
Parliament abolishes repressive media law in Nepal
Parliament abolishes repressive media law in Nepal Barely two weeks after massive public protests in late April forced Nepal's King Gyanendra to end his autocratic rule and restore parliament, lawmakers have voted to repeal a media law widely criticised as being overly restrictive on freedom of expression, report the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).
On 9 May 2006, the parliament voted to annul the "Ordinance Amending some of the Nepal Act related to Media". Passed by the King in October 2005, it banned news programmes on FM radio stations, increased penalties for defamation tenfold, and forbade any news deemed damaging to any member of the royal family.
Nepalese parliamentarians also announced that they will review other laws passed by the King, including the controversial Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (2002), under which individuals suspected of collaborating with Maoist rebels or acting against the government can be detained without charge or trial for up to 12 months.
While welcoming the repeal of the media law, IFJ said the new government needs to make a firmer commitment to protecting press freedom, citing three incidents in the past week in which journalists and media outlets were attacked or threatened.
On 16 May, Dinesh Yadav, a senior editor of Kantipur Publications was assaulted by demonstrators in Kalanki while on his way to Sitapaila on a news assignment. Four days earlier, two radio stations received disturbing letters from the All Nepal Trade Union Federation, an organisation sympathetic to Maoist rebels. The letters accused Kalika FM and Radio Birgunj of exploiting their staff, and called for the firing of Kalika FM's director, claiming he was a supporter of the royal family.
On 11 May 2006, three photojournalists were assaulted by police in the district of Nuwakot. Dhruba Kumar, Rawal Raju Mitra Khanal and Raju Krishna Shrestha were attacked while reporting on the Democratic Students Alliance's removal of photos of the King and Queen from government offices.
According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, Nepal's 12-year civil conflict between separatist Maoist rebels and Nepalese security forces has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Numerous human rights violations have been committed by both sides.
Source: E-Civicus.
