human rights
Bundesministerium der Justiz
Site of the German Federal Ministry of Justice, which is located in Berlin. Provides information about the role and work of the organisation. Topics covered include citizen’s rights, administration of justice, constitutional/administrative law, human rights, commercial/business law, digital technology and penal law. Users have the option to search the site by keyword, using wildcards/truncation, and can also restrict the search by date, relevance and the type of document required. The main language is German but an English language section is also available.
Reprieve
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe: Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is part of the intergovernmental Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It observes elections, monitors democracy and seeks to foster human rights, tolerance and the rule of law. The Office’s website describes its work, provides press releases and makes available its recommendations, reports, and other publications. On the Resources page there is a Documents Library, an email news service and a multimedia library.
Europeanrights.eu
Website monitoring the protection of fundamental rights in Europe, provided by the University of Bologna’s Interdepartmental centre for research in European Communities Law (CIRDCE), the Lelio and Lisli Basso Foundation and European Magistrates for Democracy and Freedoms (MEDEL). The site makes available a collection of journal articles, studies and other commentary, under ‘Comments’.
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides expert advice to EU institutions on questions relating to fundamental rights. Its website includes reports, factsheets and studies; a database of ECJ judgments relating to fundamental rights; and opinions submitted to EU institutions by the FRA. It also makes available a ‘Charterpedia’, a compilation of international, EU and national constitutional law and EU case law relating to fundamental rights.
Public Committee Against Torture in Israel
The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel was founded in 1990 to oppose the use of torture and ill-treatment by the Israeli interrogation and law enforcement authorities. The website is available in English and Arabic. It includes press releases and reports on the use of torture by Israeli authorities and the flaws in the judicial processes involved in addressing complaints of torture. It also features English translations of petitions presented to the Israeli authorities.
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights was founded by Palestinian lawyers and human rights activists in 1995. It aims to promote the causes of human rights, the rule of law, democratic institutions and Palestinian independence. The Centre’s website can be read in English or in Arabic and features press releases, reports, position papers, and statistics. This material focuses on human rights violations and the weakening of democratic institutions by Israeli Occupation Forces and also by Hamas and Fatah.
Commonwealth Secretariat: Human Rights
Bhatt Murphy Solicitors
Bhatt Murphy is a London-based law firm specialising in the legal protection of civil liberties. Its website includes annotated timelines, with links to legislation and official publications, covering the following areas: police misconduct; tariff-setting for life prisoners; deaths in custody; immigration detention; parole hearings; and prison discipline. It also has a news page and a set of links to civil liberties websites.