scholarly journals THE RESTRICTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN A PANDEMIC CRISIS: THE CASE OF UKRAINIAN LEGISLATION

Author(s):  
Nadiia Kobetska

The presented paper is aimed at substantiating the formal and legal grounds for the introduction of restrictions on human rights in the battle against the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine. The analysis of restrictive measures introduced by the Government of Ukraine is conducted by the author on the basis of their interpretation and comparison of Ukrainian legislative acts that define the legal regimes of quarantine, an emergency situation and a state of emergency. The author analyzes the problematic legislative provisions that formed the basis for the introduction of quarantine measures and an emergency situation in Ukraine and established restrictions on the implementation of a number of the constitutional rights of citizens. The article substantiates the conclusion on the constitutionality and legality of restrictions on human rights under a state of emergency, which was not introduced in Ukraine.

SEEU Review ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-42
Author(s):  
Abdulla Azizi

AbstractConsidering that in times of state of emergency or civil emergency (such as the pandemic caused by COVID 19), governments in many countries around the world have restricted human rights and freedoms through legally binding government decrees. These restrictive measures increasingly raise dilemmas about their effect and possible violations by the government of international norms guaranteeing human rights. The paper aims to analyze whether these restrictive measures set out in the decisions of the Government of the Republic of Northern Macedonia (RNM) are in compliance with the derogations allowed under the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms (ECHR) and the positive laws in power. In the framework of this paper is analyzed whether these measures have the sole purpose of protecting the health of citizens or not.The work is limited in terms of time (as long as the state of emergency lasted three months) and territory (government decrees with the force of law).Descriptive, historical, analytical, comparative and citizen survey methods are used in this paper.Government decrees have been analyzed in order to assess whether they were prudent, in accordance with international standards and consequences that they have caused to citizens.The conclusions provide data on whether the management of the situation has been appropriate or not and to what extent it has been effective, as well as how much it has been within the international framework and how they have affected the quality of life of citizens.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35
Author(s):  
Yusnani Hasyimzum ◽  

Abstract Children, both boys and girls, are considered state assets because they represent the nation's future generation. Children's development and growth require special consideration and protection on the part of parents, family, society, nation, and state. Children's constitutional rights are regulated in the 1945 Constitution, which guarantees the welfare of every citizen, including protection against violations of children's rights, which are considered human rights. Every child has the right to survival, growth, and development, as well as the right to be protected from violence and discrimination, as mandated by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia; additionally, every child has the right to survival, growth, and development, as well as the right to be protected from violence and discrimination; The issue is why the constitutional rights of children who have been neglected as a result of divorce have not been fully complied with and what legal safeguards have the government implemented to reduce the number of child neglect victims.


Teisė ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 117 ◽  
pp. 79-98
Author(s):  
Vaidotas A. Vaičaitis

Based on the constitutional approach, this article examines three special legal regimes in the Lithuanian legal system: the state of emergency, disaster management regime, and quarantine. The article uses four methodological criteria to reveal the differences and similarities between these legal regimes: a) the basis for the declaration of a particular legal regime, b) the subjects of their declaration and management, c) their duration, and d) the special measures applied during them, including human rights restrictions.


Author(s):  
Michael Menzhega ◽  
Marina Sawelewa ◽  
Aleksandr Smuskin

The authors analyze the work of law enforcement bodies in the conditions of the pandemic when the situation has not been recognized as an emergency by the government authorities and the state of emergency has not been announced (using the example of the situation in March — April of 2020 connected with the COVID-19 pandemic). They stress the importance of a comprehensive assessment of how critical the situation is and of carrying out certain actions even before it is recognized as an emergency. The authors also analyze various approaches to this situation used in difference regions of Russia and point out negative consequences of the implementation of some decisions. It is shown that law enforcement activities, in comparison with other functions of the state, provide fewer opportunities for avoiding personal contact with citizens. In this connection, different ways of carrying out criminalistic activities effectively that take into consideration the necessity of minimizing personal contact for the investigator are presented, such as: distance communication, investigative activities in virtual reality, use of unmanned aerial vehicles to examine the scene of crime without visiting the area during lockdown, use of criminalistic robotics and other robotic complexes. The authors note with regret that while the administration of law enforcement during an emergency situation or a state of emergency is supported by research-based recommendations, it is left in a virtual vacuum, research- and methodology-wise, in the situation of restrictive measures and self-isolation. The article describes both measures of general prevention (use of medical masks, disposable gloves, disposable clothes, hazmat suits), and special possibilities provided by information and communication technologies available in the conditions of the fourth information revolution. The latter, according to the authors, are a wider use of videoconferencing (including its use for such investigative actions as interrogation, confrontation, identification parade, examination), use of computer-augmented reality, implementation of the concept of electronic justice and the use of robotic complexes for criminalistic purposes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-31
Author(s):  
Samo Bardutzky

The purpose of this article is to discuss the issue of limitations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the 1991 Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia. The discussion is set in the context of a large-scale health crisis, i. e. the SARS-CoV-2 (the virus) and COVID-19 (the disease) epidemic. The article first describes the position of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Slovenian constitutional order, and discusses the possibilities to limit human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this section, the article introduces the concept of ‘limitations on limitations’ (similar to the German Schranken-Schranken) and presents the requirements of such limitations in Slovenian constitutional law. It then turns to the mechanism of temporary suspension and restriction of human rights and fundamental freedoms during a war or state of emergency as foreseen in Article 16 of the Constitution. In the third part, the article discusses the limitations of human rights and fundamental freedoms enacted brought forward by the government measures intended to tackle the epidemic, i.e. the concrete substatutory norms passed between March and October 2020. This article presents selected issues and affected human rights such as freedom of movement, personal liberty, right to health, and freedom of assembly. The final part of the article discusses the concept of ‘limitations on limitations’ that has demonstrated its relevance for the protection of a meaningful level of human rights in the period of the epidemiological crisis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A C A Maia ◽  
D C Fabriz ◽  
T A Motta ◽  
V F Zanotelli ◽  
B Zamprogno

Abstract This research aims to study the prohibition of electronic cigarettes' commerce in Brazil and to demonstrate its relevance in the realization of freedom and health, especially considering the impact of these devices worldwide. Also known as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends) and e-cigarettes it is a type of product designed to deliver nicotine, derived from tobacco leaf, in the form of an aerosol, some of which are also sold without nicotine. It is necessary to analyze, using rhetoric as method, as well as the science of statistics, the conflicting principles of freedom and life involved in the citizen's right to choose and public health, to answer the question: Is a complete ban on e-cigs the correct policy from the government? The commercialization, importation and advertising of electronic cigarettes was prohibited by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) in 2009, thus banning, at least legally, access to the devices inside the country. Despite this prohibition, the trade in vaporizers and their fluids, which contains nicotine, is easily achieved on the internet, informally. It must be noted that, even considering the benefits of vaping for chronic smokers, there is the concern of secondhand smokers and the upsurge of young people taking on vaping to consider. The conclusion is that, although both individual freedom and health are constitutional rights, in this conflict between them, the suppression of individual freedom is needed, since health is a public concern, and it stands to reason that, even considering the lesser impact vaping has on people, compared to combustion cigarettes, there are two factors in play: First, nobody has the right to expose people to any chance of ill effects, negating the argument of reduced risks when compared to cigarettes. Secondly, there are no long-term studies to support the claims of safety in this practice. The ban, therefore, represents public health and respect regarding Human Rights. Key messages The conflict between individual freedom and health must prevent, in this situation, the possibility of affecting the health of new generations and nonsmokers. There are no long-term studies proving the safety of electronic cigarettes, therefore the law banning the product is a preventive act in the name of public health.


Author(s):  
Aleksandrs Kuzņecovs ◽  

Due to rapid spread of Covid-19 worldwide, Latvian government declared the state of emergency. This decision was adopted by the parliament in order to contain the virus and undertake all the necessary measures to prevent its further spread. At the same time, it is clear that government’s actions undertaken within the state of emergency mostly remain unchecked. The absence of any legal basis for the parliament to extend their oversight during the state of emergency makes role of the parliament in these circumstances unclear. The current position of the parliament precludes political and legal liability over the executive and their officers. Lack of the delegated legislative and human rights restriction clause applicable specifically during the state of emergency raises questions regarding powers of the government and parliamentary control during the state of emergency. The article explores the possible solutions to rectify such flaws in the legal system of the Republic Latvia


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 306
Author(s):  
Herlambang Perdana Wiratraman

President Joko Widodo announced a public health emergency at the end of March 2020. This policy demonstrates denial, too late and limited in responding to the spread of Covid-19. On the other hand, the state security approach during the pandemic has pressured civil liberties, especially criticisms against government policies. This phenomenon is not a new development in Indonesia whereby attacks on freedom of expression and academic freedom are common. This article analyses how the COVID-19 health emergency situation is handled by the government from the perspective of human rights law standards and the rule of law. This article argues the Indonesian COVID-19 emergency law violates many guarantees of legal protection under the rule of law standard. It is apparent how the issue of human rights has not yet become an effective strategy or approach in this non-natural disaster emergency situation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 565
Author(s):  
Rommy Patra

Upaya mencegah dan menghapus praktik penyiksaan di Indonesia bukanlah persoalan yang mudah. Meski sudah meratifikasi Konvensi Menentang Penyiksaan dan mengakui hak untuk bebas dari penyiksaan sebagai HAM dan hak konstitusional, namun praktik penyiksaan di Indonesia masih juga berlangsung secara massif. Permasalahan dalam penelitian ini, pertama, faktor-faktor apa saja yang menyebabkan praktik penyiksaan masih terjadi di Indonesia? Kedua, upaya apa yang harus dilakukan untuk mencegah dan menghapus praktik penyiksaan dalam memperkuat perlindungan HAM dan hak konstitusional untuk bebas dari penyiksaan di Indonesia? Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam kajian ini adalah pendekatan perundang-undangan, pendekatan kasus dan pendekatan konseptual. Hasil kajian memperlihatkan bahwa, pertama, sejumlah faktor yang menyebabkan masih terjadinya praktik penyiksaan di Indonesia: (1) tidak adanya aturan hukum yang tegas dan memberikan sanksi yang berat kepada pelaku penyiksaan; (2) terinstitusionalisasinya praktik kekerasan dan penyiksaan di jajaran penegak hukum serta permisifnya masyarakat terhadap praktik tersebut; (3) mekanisme perlindungan dan pemberian kompensasi terhadap korban penyiksaan masih belum memadai. Kedua, perbaikan yang harus dilakukan mencakup: (1) adanya komitmen yang kuat dari pemerintah dengan membuat kebijakan penghapusan tindakan penyiksaan, seperti membuat Undang-Undang khusus menentang penyiksaan; (2) penataan institusi Kepolisian, Kejaksaan, TNI, Lembaga Pemasyarakatan serta lembaga-lembaga lainnya dengan meningkatkan pengawasan, memberikan sanksi yang tegas dan dilakukannya proses hukum jika masih terdapat praktik penyiksaan yang dilakukan. Selain itu perlu diberikan pendidikan HAM bagi personil institusi-institusi tersebut; (3) meningkatkan partisipasi masyarakat agar memiliki kesadaran untuk melawan setiap praktik kekerasan dan penyiksaan; (4) mengoptimalkan peranan lembaga seperti Komnas HAM dan LPSK untuk memberikan perlindungan dan pendampingan terhadap korban. (5) harus adanya pemenuhan terhadap hak-hak korban yang menjadi korban dari praktik penyiksaan.Efforts to prevent and eliminate the practice of torture in Indonesia are not easy. Although it has ratified the Convention Against Torture and recognizes the right for freedom from torture as human rights and constitutional rights, the practice of torture in Indonesia is still massive. The problem is, what factors cause the practice of torture to still occur in Indonesia? Then what efforts should be made to prevent and eliminate the practice of torture in strengthening human rights protection and constitutional rights for freedom from torture in Indonesia? The approach used in this study is the statute approach, case approach and conceptual approach. The results of the study show a number of factors that leads to the practice of torture in Indonesia: (1) the absence of strict legal rules and severe sanctions for perpetrators of torture; (2) institutionalization of the practice of violence and torture in the ranks of law enforcement as well as the permissiveness of the community towards the practice; (3) the mechanism for protecting and providing compensation to victims of torture is still inadequate. The improvements that must be made include: (1) a strong commitment from the government by making a policy of abolishing acts of torture, such as making a special law against torture; (2) structuring of the Police, Prosecutor's Office, TNI, Correctional Institutions and other institutions by increasing supervision, providing strict sanctions and carrying out legal proceedings if there are still practices of torture carried out. In addition, it needs education of human rights for personnel of these institutions; (3) increasing community participation in order to have awareness to fight every practice of violence and torture; (4) optimizing the role of institutions such as Komnas HAM and LPSK to provide protection and assistance to victims. (5) there must be rights fulfillment to the victims who become the victims of the practice of torture.


Author(s):  
Laura ȘTEFAN ◽  
Cezara GRAMA

The COVID-19 pandemic was a genuine stress test for societies around the globe. Societal values were put under public scrutiny, while fear reigned supreme allowing large margins of maneuver for governments in taking restrictive measures promising at least to win some time for health systems to adapt to the new challenges. Along with health systems governments, judicial systems and societies at large had to change the way they function to face the pandemic. In this paper we will present a case study on Romania and the usage of sanctioning mechanisms by the Police and Gendarmerie during the state of emergency, March 16–May 14, 2020. We will explore the challenges regarding the adoption of a sound legal basis for restrictive measures in line with the constitutional provision and the actual implementation of these restrictions with a focus on the performance of two enforcement institutions – the Romanian Police and the Gendarmerie – in this process. In times of crisis, or particularly in times of crisis when the government enjoys even more power than usual, the governmental action must be transparent to build trust and ensure that abuses do not happen. Moreover, the data gathered during the first wave of COVID-19 could help shape public policies for the subsequent waves with the view to improve efficiency while possibly decreasing the restrictions of human rights.


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