scholarly journals Hate Crimes: Evaluation of Lithuanian Courts’ Decisions in the Light of the Practice of the European Court of Human Rights

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-47
Author(s):  
Mindaugas Bilius ◽  
Žaneta Navickienė ◽  
Vilius Velička
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Hate Crime ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Criminal Liability ◽  
National Courts ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Special Knowledge ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract In this article, the authors analyse the practice of the Lithuanian national courts and the European Court of Human Rights in hate crime cases, provide insights into the synergy between the decisions made by these courts, and suggest further improvement actions. This research shows that proving the circumstances surrounding various forms of hatred is quite complex, often lacking a more comprehensive, in-depth definition of the totality of circumstances by taking account of the need for special knowledge, the identification of guilt, and the system and intensity of actions. There is often a divide between criminal liability and the possibility of other countermeasures, especially when examining cases related to hate speech. Court decisions draw attention to the fact that it is necessary to consider the totality of the data collected, not individual data or individual fragments of circumstances. Among other things, the decisions emphasize the ultima ratio principle: whether criminal liability is an adequate measure in cases of hate speech. The topical issues examined in the article draw attention to the collection of significant data and the organization of investigations of these crimes, issues relating to proof and the emerging practice of the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Lithuania in this category of cases, highlighting the two main problematic aspects: first, the determination of the totality of objective and subjective features and second, the fact of identifying a real threat.

scholarly journals Pierādījumu pārbaude kriminālprocesā

2021 ◽  
pp. 550-559
Author(s):  
Oskars Kulmanis ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
European Convention ◽  
Criminal Cases ◽  
National Courts ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Court Proceedings ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Right ◽  
Court Hearing

The article addresses specific aspects of the principle of equality of arms, which is one of the fundamental principles that secures the rights of an accused person in court proceedings in criminal cases. It outlines one particular aspect laid down in Article 6 § 3 (d) of the European Convention of Human Rights, that is, the right of an accused person to examine witnesses against him. Another important aspect which concerns the rights of an accused person to examine the witnesses against him is an obligation for the national courts to justify convictions with the evidence verified in a court hearing. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia and the European Court of Human Rights have emphasized several important practices of principle of fair trial which determine the justification of convictions with the evidence that has not been verified in court proceedings in criminal cases.

GENERAL LEGAL ESSENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF POISONED TREE FRUIT AS A MAIN ASPECT IN THE INSTITUTE'S SYSTEM OF ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larysa Bayrachna ◽  
◽  
Yurii Burdai ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Procedural Law ◽  
National Courts ◽  
History Of Development ◽  
Legal Literature ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Tree Fruit ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Law

The article presents a critical analysis of the doctrine of "poisoned tree" through the prism of its interpretation by the European Court of Human Rights, scientific and practical approach to its formation by the case law of Ukrainian national courts, in particular, but not limited to, the Supreme Court. Given the requirements of current procedural legislation of Ukraine. An overview of the basic standards and aspects of the standard established by the institute of admissibility of evidence in their entirety and individually. The institute of admissibility of evidence has a long history of development. To date, the inadmissibility of evidence obtained in violation of procedural law is enshrined at the European judicial level in such judgments of the European Court of Human Rights as Gefgen v. Germany, Teixeira de Castro v. Portugal, and Sabelnik v. Ukraine. against Ukraine", "Nechyporuk and Yonkalo against Ukraine", "Yaremenko against Ukraine". This requirement for the admissibility of evidence is formulated in the above-mentioned Decisions quite succinctly and clearly, and is currently the subject of its implementation in both the law-making system and the law enforcement system. In the legal literature, there is still a discussion about the doctrine of "poisoned tree fruit", which is directly related to the recognition of derivatives of evidence obtained in violation of Ukrainian law - inadmissible. In the course of the study, uncertainty was found that the implementation of this doctrine is necessary only when the violation of the conditions of admissibility calls into question the reliability of the evidence. Therefore, it is necessary to determine whether there is a dependence of the admissibility and reliability of the evidence or the "fruits of the poisoned tree" appear under other conditions, when the evidence is declared inadmissible, regardless of this impact on the reliability.

Access to a Court in Matters Concerning Disputes of an Individual with the Public Administration in the Republic of Poland vs. the Standards of the Council of Europe

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-125
Author(s):  
Ewa Wójcicka
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Judicial Review ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
European Court ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Republic ◽  
European Standards ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

Summary This paper focuses specifically on the fundamental part of the right to a fair trial, namely access to a court. The aim of this article is an attempt to analyse the difference between the requirements of European standards and how they are reflected in Polish legislation. First of all, I am going to analyze basic European standards specified in Article 6(1) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Recommendation Rec(2004)20 on the judicial review of administrative acts and in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Then I will focus on selected aspects of the problem of judicial review of administrative acts specified in the Act of 30th August 2002 Law on Proceedings before Administrative Courts. I will discuss several specific topics from this field, which can be considered as crucial in relation to access to court, namely: definition of terms for access to justice by an individual, exhausting administrative remedies before judicial review, locus standi and legal aid.

scholarly journals Problems issues on the application of the national courts of the European Court of Human Rights practice as a source of law

1970 ◽  
pp. 422-426
Author(s):  
Karina Soklakova
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Supreme Court ◽  
Case Law ◽  
National Courts ◽  
High Courts ◽  
Human Rights Practice ◽  
European Court ◽  
Legal Nature ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
The Law

The article explores the main problems of the application by the national courts of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights as a source of law. Analyzing the rules of the law and examining the views of the Supreme Court have highlighted the problematic issues of the obligation to apply the case law of the European Court of Human Rights to national courts as a source of law. The researchers' positions on the obligation of national courts to apply the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in cases against other states are examined and the importance of the application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights is highlighted. Analyzing the views of scholars and experts, we have proposed ways to address the issues of the binding application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights by reviewing the plenary sessions of high courts. The problems of the application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights by national courts, such as the selective application of the case law of the Court, references to general principles and interpretations, ignoring the conditions of their application, absolutization of the binding position of the Court, application of the decisions of the Court by analogy, reference to the practice Court in the presence of clear and consistent provisions of national law, etc. The following ways of solving these problems are proposed: 1) revising the concept and content of the Law of Ukraine "On the implementation of decisions and application of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights" and amending the legislation in order to bring it in line with the provisions of the new procedural legislation and modern ideas of theorists and practitioners about the legal nature of decisions The European Court of Human Rights; 2) preparing a resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court on the application of the Convention and the case-law of the Court, which should be based on a thorough analysis of the shortcomings and peculiarities of the case-law of the national courts. The problematic issues of the application of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in the absence of official translations of the Court's decisions are examined. Analyzing the views of scholars and experts, we have proposed ways to solve these problems by creating a single electronic database that will contain official translations of Court decisions in the Ukrainian language that will ensure their accessibility and dissemination.

scholarly journals DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT ON HUMAN RIGHTS AS MANDATORY ELEMENT OF JUDICIAL CONTROLIN CRIMINAL PROCEEDING

2019 ◽  
pp. 284-294
Author(s):  
O. Plakhotnik
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Judicial Review ◽  
Criminal Proceedings ◽  
Judicial Control ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Draw Conclusion ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Grand Chamber ◽  
And Function

The purpose of this article is opening of necessity of application of ECHR practice in the decisions of the investigating judge to increase the value of judicial control over the observance of rights, freedoms and interests of individuals in criminal proceedings. The article includes analysis of the current legislation on the definition of judicial review at the pre-trial investigation stage. Judicial control is revealed through the powers of the investigating judge in criminal proceedings. There were examined opinions of scientists in relation to determinations of judicial control and function of investigation judge on the stage of pre-trial investigation. It is possible to draw conclusion from the analysis of the last scientific researches, that expansion of scopes of judicial control in a criminal production, it is a next step to rethink the value of judicial control in criminal proceedings. Decisions taken by the investigating judge should be based on the principles of legality and rule of law. The conclusion about the need to study the application of ECHR investigating judges to strengthen the role of the court at the stage of pre-trial investigation and reduction of procedural errors that can become new ECHR judgments against Ukraine. Judicial statistics and decision of consequence judges content are analysed with the use of practice of ECHR for 2018 and beginning 2019 years. Out of analysis of judicial statistics a conclusion is made that tendency on application of practice of ECHR in 2019 is slowly, but grows. The necessity of wide use of practice of ECHR courts is examined during realization of judicial control in a criminal proceedings. The estimation is given to expansion of the list of proceedings that must be carried out with the permission of the investigating judge. It is analyzed the shortcomings of the application of the ECHR practice courts and disadvantages such as the decision by the investigating judge ruling, not under criminal procedural rules. The practice of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court is analysed. It is given the risks of the work of the investigating judge, who can relate to undue interference in the work of law enforcement. It is noted the decision of the ECHR “Volokhi against Ukraine” dated November 2, 2006. It is concluded that the judicial review of the investigative actions should also include the application of the ECHR practice, and application of ECHR in the activities of the investigating judge at the pre-trial investigation stage is a prerequisite for respect for the rule rights in criminal proceedings and the strategic task for Ukraine. Key words: European Court of Human Rights, court control, criminal proceedings.

The prism of fundamental rights

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janneke Gerards
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
National Courts ◽  
European Court ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Reasoning By Analogy

European Court of Human Rights – Suggestions for reducing case backlog and national criticism of the Court – Alternative to incremental case law and reasoning by analogy – Greater deference to national courts where individual interests, rather than fundamental rights are at stake – Guidelines to find objective criteria for the definition of fundamental rights – Sharper delineation of Convention rights – Procedural review preceding substantive review

scholarly journals HATE CRIMES, THE HATE SPEECH PHENOMENON, PRACTICE OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RUSSIAN APPROACH TO DETERMINING EXTREMIST ACTIVITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-122
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav V. Koryakovtsev ◽  
Kseniia V. Pitulko ◽  
Anzhelika A. Sergeeva
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Hate Crimes ◽  
Legal Concept ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Definition Of

The subject of the research is criminal law rules that provide for criminal liability for hate crimes and the judicial decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on hate crimes. The purpose of the article is to confirm or refute the hypothesis that a unified approach to the definition of the legal concept of hate speech and the limits of its application is nec-essary. This approach must be based on the legal positions of the European Court of Hu-man Rights The research methodology includes analysis and interpretation of court decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as a dialectical approach to the analysis of vari-ous points of view to the definition of extremist activity. The main results and scope of their application. The relevance of the research proposed for publication is due to the lack of uniform practice of applying the articles of the Russian Criminal Code on so-called "hate crimes" by Russian courts and the presence of signifi-cant contradictions in the positions of the European Court of Human Rights and the state position of the Russian Federation in defining key concepts in this area that are extremely important for criminal procedure and administrative activities. The paper considers scien-tific and practical attempts to define "hate crimes" in the global and regional human rights systems, basic recommendations of the UN on countering such crimes, and offers an interpretation of the term hate speech in relation to the related criminological concept of hate crime. The text provides statistical data describing the level of such crime and the practice of the ECHR in this area, mentions a list of criteria according to which "hate crimes" can be motivated by language differences, gender, sexual orientation and other characteristics, as well as criteria that distinguish hate speech from freedom of expres-sion, and suggests decriminalization of part 1 of article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code. Conclusions. It is necessary to unify the concepts of "hate crimes" (and the practice of their application) in the direction of, in particular, reducing the number of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights against the Russian Federation and increasing the level of legal protection of both the individual citizen of the Russian Federation and freedom of speech and expression.

scholarly journals WAIVER OF HUMAN RIGHTS: A RIGHT OR A CHALLENGE?

2020 ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Nelly Arakelyan
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Constitutional Court ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Classical Perception

The author discusses the new tendencies of waiving human rights. In the article they are qualified as a new emerging institute of Human Rights Law. The definition of human rights waiver is discussed, as well as the necessity to give a legal regulation to it. The author presents the existing definitions of human rights waiver, but does not share any of them, particularly most of them define human rights waiver as not utilization of human rights, but the author calls this definition as a passive application of human rights, whilst waiver of human rights has its own content which is discussed in the article in details. Human rights waiver is discussed in the light of the co-relation of the right to autonomy and the principle of paternalism. The author presents some case law on waiver of human rights, which is very rare. Specifically, the author presents the case law of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The legal positions of the mentioned bodies can serve as good criteria in dealing with human rights waiver. Particularly, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia held a decision dedicated to this issue and qualified waiver of human rights as an exception from the classical perception of human rights ideology. The author agrees with idea reflected in decision of the Constitutional Court concerning the correlation of human rights waiver and right to autonomy, according to which right to autonomy cannot be absolute and that absolute waiver of human rights can, in its turn, violate the human rights. In this context the author highlights the necessity of defining the limits of human rights waiver offering two important directions for discussion of this question; the scope of the rights which can and cannot be waived, the framework and criteria of a waiver of human rights.

Religious Liberty Under the European Convention on Human Rights

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-219
Author(s):  
Michał Rynkowski
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Church And State ◽  
Attorney General ◽  
Capital City ◽  
European Convention ◽  
National Courts ◽  
State Research ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Republic Of Cyprus

The eighteenth annual meeting of the European Consortium for Church and State Research took place in Nicosia, Cyprus, in November 2007, the only divided capital city in the world. It was devoted to the question of how national courts respect and apply the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), particularly Article 9, in their jurisprudence. The conference gathered representatives of 26 European Union States (all except Malta) and was hosted by Mr Achilles Emilianides of the Cyprus Institute for Church and State Research. The conference was inaugurated in a ceremonial way, by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the President of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and the President of the European Consortium, Professor S. Berlingó from Messina.

The Internationalization Of Human Rights And The Importance Of Normative Dialogues Between International And National Courts

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Mariane Morato Stival ◽  
Marcos André Ribeiro ◽  
Daniel Gonçalves Mendes da Costa
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
The Other ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
National Courts ◽  
European Court ◽  
Differences Of Opinion ◽  
Rights Discourse ◽  
Different Characteristics ◽  
Human Rights Discourse

This article intends to analyze in the context of the complexity of the process of internationalization of human rights, the definitions and tensions between cultural universalism and relativism, the essence of human rights discourse, its basic norms and an analysis of the normative dialogues in case decisions involving violations of human rights in international tribunals such as the European Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and national courts. The well-established dialogue between courts can bring convergences closer together and remove differences of opinion on human rights protection. A new dynamic can occur through a complementarity of one court with respect to the other, even with the different characteristics between the legal orders.

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