Klubrádió, one of Hungary’s few remaining independent radio stations, says that it has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg after being forced off the airwaves in Hungary. Klubrádió is arguing that the Hungarian state violated the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression and the right to information….
The EPP Group has called on the Georgian authorities to provide Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili an adequate medical treatment in an appropriately equipped hospital. “We remain seriously worried about Mr Saakashvili’s health and security conditions as well as his rights as a prisoner, including in terms of privacy and dignity and as a person standing a…
A year after the Polish Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling, MEPs are calling on the government to lift the ban on abortion that puts women’s lives at risk. Last September, a 30-year-old Polish woman died of septic shock because her doctors did not perform a life-saving abortion, waiting instead for the foetus to die because of the…
Members of the European Parliament have debated a report on the use of Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in Europe to silence critical voices such as NGOs, journalists, environmental and human rights defenders. MEPs will vote on the report tomorrow, ahead of an expected Commission proposal for legislation on the use of SLAPPs next…
Parliament said it “condemns” an attempt to undermine the primacy of EU law and calls on the Council and Commission to urgently protect the people of Poland and the Union. In a resolution adopted on Thursday with 502 votes for, 153 against, and 16 abstentions, MEPs emphasised that the Polish Constitutional Tribunal lacks legal validity…
The conference on Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law held by the European Economic and Social Committee brought into light serious violations and negative trends in the four areas covered by the European Rule of Law Mechanism (justice, corruption, media, checks and balances). The EESC stressed that civil society is a dynamic actor in defending…
Ahead of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on 2 November, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Vice-President Věra Jourová have issued a joint statement. It reads, “A few weeks ago, Maria Ressa and Dimitri Mouratov received the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition of their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression. With their reporting, they…
The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has voted for the Parliament to take the European Commission to court for inaction on the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism. Despite numerous breaches of the rule of law endangering the proper use of EU funds, the Commission has failed to activate the mechanism. MEPs, led by…
S&D members in the legal affairs committee in the European parliament voted in favour of legal action against the Commission for its failure to trigger the EU’s rule of law conditionality mechanism. In force since 1 January 2021, the mechanism makes access to EU funds conditional on respecting the rule of law and EU fundamental…
The EU needs rules against SLAPPs (vexatious legal actions) intended to silence critical voices, according to the Parliament’s Civil Liberties and Legal Affairs committees. In a draft report endorsed on Thursday with 63 votes for, 9 against, and 10 abstentions, MEPs propose measures to counteract the threat that Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) pose…
