News

Malaysia: Stop Harassment of Opposition and Minority Activists in the Run-up to the Parliamentary Elections

London, 27 February 2008

On 26 February 2008, The Equal Rights Trust again urged Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, to ensure that the police does not abuse its powers to discriminate against certain civil society groups and opposition party activists.  Discriminatory treatment in relation to freedoms protected by international law also violates the victims’ right to participate on equal terms with all other voters in Malaysia in the parliamentary elections set for 8 March 2008.

Turkey: Constitutional Amendments Lifting Headscarf Ban in Higher Education

London, 13 February 2008

The Equal Rights Trust welcomes the adoption by Turkey’s parliament on 9th February 2008 of two constitutional amendments that will ease restrictions on the freedom to wear the Islamic headscarf in public higher education institutions. It has been widely reported that the ban has led to a reduction in the number of women attending higher education and placed women who wear the headscarf as a matter of religious conviction at a disadvantage with regards to the exercise of their right to manifest their religious beliefs and access education. 

France: European Court Finds Violation of Article 14 ECHR on Grounds of Sexual Orientation

London, 24 January 2008 

Nepal Prohibits Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

London, 16 January 2008

On 21 December 2007 the Supreme Court of Nepal issued directive orders to the Government of Nepal to end discrimination against people of different sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equal Rights Trust considers the decision of the court - who use the term “teshro Linga” literally translated as “third gender” and commonly understood to represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and inter-sexed persons – to be a progressive step in recognising the equal rights for those with different sexual orientations and gender identities. The decision is a significant victory for the lobbying efforts of the Blue Diamond Society, a local non-governmental organisation supporting people with different sexual orientation or gender identity.

ERT Urges Release of Anti-discrimination Activists in Malaysia

London, 14 December 2007

Today, The Equal Rights Trust urged Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia , to immediately release from detention P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar; and to ensure that everyone, without distinction of any kind, including ethnic origin and political or other opinion, is effectively protected from arbitrary arrest and charges for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. 

ERT Calls on General Musharraf to Release All Those Detained and Reinstate Independent Judiciary

London, 15 November 2007  

In support of the Global Day of Action to protest against the state of emergency in Pakistan, The Equal Rights Trust urged President Musarraf today to order the immediate release of all those arbitrarily arrested and detained, following the introduction of the state of emergency on 3 November 2007, to reinstate dismissed judges, to lift all imposed restrictions on the media and take all other necessary measures to return Pakistan to its constitutional rule.

Victory in a Long Court Battle for Equal Rights: Czech Roma Win the Ostrava Special Schools Case (D.H. and Others v Czech Republic)

On November 13, 2007, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, overturning the Chamber judgment of 7 February 2006, found that the right to non-discrimination guaranteed by Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated by Czech authorities who had been placing disproportionately high numbers of Romani children in substandard special schools for children with learning disabilities.

ERT and Amnesty International Call on Slovenian Government to Stop Discriminatory Treatment of the "Erased" Persons in Slovenia

Amnesty International and The Equal Rights Trust call on the Slovenian government to withdraw the draft Constitutional Law, presented to parliament on 30 October, which is intended to resolve the status of the “erased” – people unlawfully removed from the registry of permanent residents in 1992. 

ERT Submits Third Party Brief to the European Court of Human Rights on the Discrimination against "Erased" Persons in Slovenia

IN THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Makuc and Others v. Slovenia (Application No. 26828/06)

WRITTEN COMMENTS OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS TRUST

I. Introduction

1. The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) respectfully submits written comments by permission of the President of the Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court)(1)  in accordance with Article 36(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

ERT Welcomes New British Equality Body

Dear Mr Phillips,

The Equal Rights Trust welcomes the establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The need for a central independent and influential organisation to provide guidance and authority on non-discrimination and human rights has long been recognised in Britain.

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