2014 Report
Transcription
2014 Report
2014 Report The Activity of the Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania – the Helsinki Committee APADOR-CH, 2014 București, str. Nicolae Tonitza nr.8A (40)(21)312.45.28 office@apador.org www.apador.org 2014 Report | 2 Short History Created in 1990, APADOR-CH has brought its contribution to a better knowledge and compliance with human rights in Romania for over 20 years. The Association monitors the way human rights are observed and helps inform citizens about the rights they have and how to protect them. APADOR-CH offers consultancy to persons who wish to address the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after having exhausted every appeal in domestic courts and, for strategic cases in its area of interest and expertise, also offers free representation before the ECHR. At the same time, the Association monitors the activity of state institutions and reacts by public statements or legislative advocacy every time there is a threat against fundamental human rights. For 2012-2014, APADOR-CH has followed a set of strategic objectives: 1. Increasing the degree of enforcement for human rights decisions in domestic rule of law; 2. Developing efficient mechanisms to protect the rights of persons in detention or under arrest; 3. Developing institutional practices and mechanisms to increase transparency and good governance; 4. Taking a stand against threats to human rights. 2014 Report | 3 Human Rights in Romania during 2014 In 2014, Romania had two rounds of elections – for the European Parliament and for its President. If the European election did not place any controversial issues on the public agenda, with parties preferring to count on their loyal electorate, the presidential vote polarized the society and generated heated debates. The presidential elections were marked by vote suppression, with many people living abroad being unable to exercise their right. During both rounds of election, APADOR-CH conducted information campaigns on electoral rights, misdemeanors and offences, as well as offered legal counseling to those who wished to press charges. In terms of legislation, Romania went through a productive period in terms of laws and ordinances regulating electronic communications – the so called Big Brother laws, - aiming to mass surveillance of citizens by intelligence services, in violation of the right to privacy. All draft bills were declared unconstitutional, but the legislative process is ongoing. Alongside other organizations, APADOR-CH has constantly campaigned against these bills. The Association continued its multi-annual projects in monitoring human rights in penitentiaries and police custody facilities. Unfortunately, the year 2014 saw several incidents where citizens were brutalized by law enforcement agents, including the death of a young man in a police station in Bucharest. In 2014, APADOR-CH extended its network, joining international platforms with similar values and missions. The aim was to increase the impact of its activity and bring it to international level, as well as to consolidate its capacity to respond to regional challenges. Currently, APADOR-CH is part of the Fundamental Rights Agency Civil Society Platform, JUSTICIA European Rights Network and Civic Solidarity Platform. This report presents, in short, the most important projects and achievements in 2014, as well as updates on the ongoing multi-annual programs in the fields of human rights monitoring, legal counseling and legislative advocacy. If you wish to find out more on our current activity, to joins us as a voluntary or to support us with a donation, please visit our website at www.apador.org. Maria-Nicoleta Andreescu Executive director of APADOR-CH 2014 Report | 4 CONTENT Projects 2014 5-8 European Parliament Elections 2014 – Open your eyes before the poll closes 5 Presidential Elections 2014 – Vote lawfully, don’t let others chose for you 5 The Civil Society for a More Efficient National Integrity Council 6 Children Deprived of Liberty in Central and Eastern Europe 6 FTI Study on Pre-Trial Arrest and Its Alternatives 7 Training Courses for Lawyers on the Rights of Indicted Persons 7 The Anti-Discrimination Coalition 7 Politics without Barriers 8 The European Court of Human Rights Consultancy & Representation 9-13 9 Cases Won in 2014 10 ECHR Decisions against Romania 11 Cases Won Before Domestic Courts Multi-Annual Activities Monitoring Human Rights in Detention Facilities Abuse by Law Enforcement Agencies: the Dumitrache, Mako and Section 10 Cases Public Communication Useful Information 12-13 14-17 14 15-17 18-24 18 Reaction to Human Rights Violations and Legislative Advocacy 19- 20 Media Coverage 21-24 2014 Report | 5 Projects 2014 Alongside its current activities and multi-annual programs, in 2014 APADOR-CH conducted several separate projects. Some of them were completed during the same year, as was the case of the election campaign projects related to the European and presidential polls. Elections 2014 – Open your eyes before the poll closes! The project run between April and December 2014 aimed to stimulate participation, to provide citizens with the correct information on their electoral rights and duties and to sanction possible electoral misbehavior on the part of politicians. The project had two parts – for the European and presidential elections respectively – and was funded by the Open Society Initiative for Europe. European Parliament Elections 2014 On May 25, Romanians were called to elect 32 of the party or independent candidates to become members of the European Parliament. Beyond political doctrines and more or less believable promises, an election campaign is often witness to statements on the fringes or in breach of the law, APADOR-CH offered Romanian voters a set of useful instruments to identify such infringements and encouraged them to vote. Presidential Elections 2014 On November 16, Romanians elected a new president. The presidential ballot was marred, in both rounds, by the poor organization of polling stations abroad, where Romanians who lived or traveled out of the country. The situation triggered a flood of indignation from voters and a fortunate increase in voter turnout, both at home and abroad. APADOR-CH provided citizens with information on election misdemeanors and offences – before the elections – and legal counseling between the rounds and after the ballot for those who wished to press charges for being prevented to vote. . 2014 Report | 6 The Civil Society for a More Efficient National Integrity Council After launching the project “What Is the CNI and What It Should Be” in 2013, APADOR-CH continued it last year by bringing more NGOs around the table, to work together to the aim of appointing two members of the civil society into the National Integrity Council. The result, procedure and whole adventure of appointing representatives in the CNI may be seen here. The process continues: the two CNI representatives receive support for their activity and the civil society attempts to appoint a member in the National Council for Combating Discrimination as well. Children Deprived of Liberty in Central and Eastern Europe Throughout 2014, APADOR-CH was part of an international project that included Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Poland, with the aim of analyzing the laws regulating deprivation of freedom for minors and the way it is enforced throughout the region. APADOR-CH also conducted extra-judiciary investigations in penitentiaries and police lock-ups. Their aim was to monitor detention conditions and the way the rights of minors held in detention were observed. Visits were unannounced. 2014 Report | 7 FTI Study on Pre-Trial Arrest and Its Alternatives Between June 2014 and May 2016, APADOR-CH runs this project under the co-ordination of Fair Trials International, a London-based non-governmental organization, with support from the European Commission. APADOR-CH will contribute to a comparative study on the use of pretrial detention and alternative measures. The study will enable participant organizations – from Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy and Great Britain – to offer assistance to the European Union in formulating common policies for the scope of pre-trial arrest. You may find information on the EU position on pre-trial arrest here. Training Courses for Lawyers on the Rights of Indicted Persons Under the co-ordination of the same FTI, between May 2014 and April 2016 APADOR-CH runs the program Practitioner Training on Roadmap Directive, enabling lawyers to keep better informed about European Union directives regulating procedural rights for detainees. The Anti-Discrimination Coalition As a member of the Anti-Discrimination Coalition, since the summer of 2014 APADOR-CH has implemented the project Access to Justice and Adequate Remedies for Victims of Discrimination, coordinated by ACCEPT Association. The project aims to increase access to justice and to provide active remedies for persons subject to discrimination. APADOR-CH attorneys offer counseling to persons subjected to discrimination. 2014 Report | 8 Politics without Barriers APADOR-CH and other 16 civil society organizations initiated the campaign entitled “Politics without Barriers”, aimed at amending election laws in order to liberalize the access of citizens to politics. “Politics without Barriers” aims to bring changes to the legislation, so as to guarantee the right to political association and participation in elections. The proposals made by the coalition organizations have two major objectives: 1. The first objective is to eliminate administrative barriers to registering a new party and the condition of gathering a certain number of support signatures in order to enlist a party in any election. 2. The second objective is to ensure higher equality of chances for large parties, small parties, newly established parties and independent candidates. The project will go on until the law is amended in consequence. 2014 Report | 9 The European Court of Human Rights Consultancy & Representation before the ECHR Since January 1st, 2014, a set of amendments to the regulations of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have come into effect, changing in some respects the way petitioners in search of European justice must address the Court. APADOR-CH explained the new ECHR rules to the Romanian public by clarifying what an individual application to the Court should contain and what are the procedures to be followed to have an application admitted.. APADOR-CH currently represents the following cases before the ECHR: Șerban Marinescu - a strategic case for APADOR-CH - was represented before domestic courts by Nicoleta Popescu, the Association’s attorney, since 2007. In October 2013, the complaint was filed with the ECHR, under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Marinescu was beaten by cops in a police precinct in Bucharest, but in six years the aggressors were not investigated in any way. The ECHR judgment is expected in 2015; Victor Stanciu was stopped by a police patrol in 2012 and as he refused to provide any ID, he was taken to Police Station 19 in Bucharest and beaten. His complaint was filed with the ECHR in October 2013, under Article 3 of the Convention, and the Court found it admissible on September 16th, 2014; Several detainees complaining to the ECHR about detention conditions in Romania had their cases accepted as admissible, mainly under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights: detainee Adrian Drăgan (detention conditions, lack of adequate medical care, lack of effective remedies), Marius Mavroian (detention conditions). In 2014, more than 90 persons received legal counseling at the APADOR-CH office, and more than 500 consultations were provided by phone to people who intended to address the European Court of Human Rights. 2014 Report | 10 Cases Won before the ECHR in 2014 In the Roşiianu case, the ECHR ruled against the State because the Baia Mare mayor refused to disclose public information to a journalist - Ioan Romeo Roșiianu, a local TV presenter, obtained from the ECHR what his former mayor had systematically denied him since 2005. Romania was sanctioned by the Court to pay 4000 Euro in damages to the journalist because the former mayor refused to provide the information he needed to do his job, despite the fact that domestic courts had decided in Roșiianu’s favor. The applicant was represented by attorney Diana Hatneanu and supported by APADOR-CH, as a strategic case for Romania. In the Stoica case, the ECHR decided that Romanian courts should reopen the miners’ riot file – the Grand Chamber of the ECHR decided that Romania breached Articles 2, 3 and 6 in the case of Mocanu and others vs Romania, after applicants Anca Mocanu, Marin Stoica and the Association “21 Decembrie 1989” complained that domestic investigations into the events of June 1990 were ineffective. Romanian citizen Marin Stoica, now 65, was beaten and put in a coma on June 13th, 1990, at the headquarters of the After 23 years of injustice in my country, Romania, I have a Romanian Television. The satisfaction and I feel some relief, even health relief, despite man was going to work when my three traumas, because after 7 years of trial at the he was picked up from the ECHR I managed to stand before the 17 judges of the Grand street, deprived of freedom Chamber; I believe these judges, from 17 countries, looked for several hours and fiercely at my file with great seriousness beaten. He woke up at the hospital the next day, where Marian Stoica he was advised to take off, so he wouldn’t be arrested, alongside other protesters. He did leave and was afraid to leave his house for three months. He could not shake away his fear later, and it had devastating effects upon his mind. He dared file a complaint only 10 years later, in 2001, when investigations in the miners’ riot finally started to move ahead. The Stoica case was represented before the ECHR by attorney Diana Hatneanu, supported by APADOR-CH. In the Flămânzeanu case, another Romanian beaten by the police found justice at the ECHR, while national police keeps beating up people – The European Court of Human Rights ruled on November 4th in the case of Flămânzeanu vs Romania (12717/09) and found the Romanian State in breach of the right not to be submitted to inhuman and degrading treatment. The applicant was supported by APADOR-CH, through its attorney, Nicoleta Popescu. 2014 Report | 11 ECHR Rulings against Romania for Penitentiary Conditions APADOR-CH continued in 2014 its program to support strategic litigations before ECHR for prison conditions. At the same time, the European Court continued to rule against Romania for its poor detention conditions. The ECHR judged on April 1st, 2014, in the case of Rădulescu vs Romania (32800/012) and found that the Romanian State infringed upon the right of its citizen, Aurel Rădulescu, not to be submitted to degrading treatment. The applicant was supported by APADOR-CH. Rădulescu complained to the European Court about detention conditions in the Rahova and Jilava penitentiaries and in Police Station 15 custody facility in Bucharest. The Court found that his complaints – regarding overcrowding and lack of hygiene – were confirmed by the report of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), as well as by detention conditions reports made by APADOR-CH following its visits to prisons and police lock-ups Cases Won Before Domestic Courts The Toma and Orlescu cases - Romania 2014: Freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution, is won in court due to procedural flaws More than 20 years after the street won back freedom of expression and had it guaranteed by the Constitution, protesters in Romania are in the situation of fighting for this right in court, using legal tricks and procedural flaws to win. An old law, badly enforced by the authorities, is to blame for this restriction of the constitutional right to freedom of expression. APADOR-CH ran several projects over the last years trying to amend Law no. 60/1991. In 2014, APADOR-CH attorney Nicoleta Popescu managed to win the cases brought before the court by Mircea Toma și Laura Orlescu, two citizens who had taken part in a peaceful protest in front of the Parliament building and had been fined for it by gendarmes. Unfortunately, not all protesters are as lucky, therefore the law still needs to be modified. APADOR-CH has used the cases to inform citizens how they can successfully contest fines for protesting. 2014 Report | 12 The case of Marian Ivan against the Gendarmerie – Marian Ivan was fined with the maximum amount of 5.000 lei for not having informed the Gendarmerie, 48 hours in advance, that he was going to organize a Bike Ride in Bucharest. Ivan contested the fine in court, the complaint was admitted and the report annulled. Ivan was exonerated by a decision of Sector 1 First Instance Court, issued on November 1st, 2014. The court noted that the fine report and the fine were proven unfounded as long as the plaintiff had officially announced the city hall about the event. The Gendarmerie is going to appeal against the decision. Marian Ivan was counseled and represented in court by APADOR-CH attorney Nicoleta Popescu. 2014 Report | 13 Multi-Annual Activities Monitoring Human Rights in Detention Facilities In 2014, APADOR-CH continued to monitor police lock-ups and prisons. The results of their analysis shows a slight improvement of conditions in some penitentiaries, but overcrowding remains a problem of the overall system and nothing has been done to solve it, while medical care for detainees is often wanting. The monitoring visits covered 13 penitentiaries (Botoșani, Jilava, Satu Mare, Baia Mare, Craiova, Iași, Târgu Ocna, Bacău, Târgu Mureș, Buziaș, Tichilești, Brăila, Găești) and four police custody facilities (București, Mureș, Iași, Prahova). The units holding minors and young detainees were visited twice, in order to take note of possible improvements, as part of the project “Children Deprived of Liberty in Central and Eastern Europe”. The reports that concluded each visit may be found on the Association’s website. Abuse by Law Enforcement Agencies In Romania, in the years 2014, there are still cases of abuse by law enforcement agents against citizens, despite the fact that the media often uncovers them and complaints are being filed against the perpetrators. One of the causes for having this problem persist is the lack of domestic court sentences and sanctions against the perpetrators. The investigations and trials last for years or are left uncompleted, generating the impression that police agents who do wrong are protected by the system, being removed from their former, visible, positions or, at most, excluded from the police force. Justice is often found at the ECHR, but nothing changes in the country. Another Romanian beaten by the police finds justice before the ECHR, at home, police keeps beating people Four citizens beaten by the police in the center of Bucharest over the last two months 2014 Report | 14 The Dinte Case The Mako Case Station 10 Case APADOR-CH provided legal advice and support for victims of police or gendarmerie abuse, but also took public attitude in defense of integrity whistleblowers who helped disclose abuse cases. See case of Piatra Neamț policeman who published a video of police section chief abusing a minor girl inside the precinct 2014 Report | 15 The Dinte Case Daniel Dumitrache, killed by police at Section 10 in Bucharest – Interview with the victim’s mother (video) The protest of the civil society after Dumitrache’s death at a police precinct, Bucharest, Romania 2014 The Dinte Case The family accused the police of having beaten him to death. According to official documents, the death occurred at 15 Stelea Spătaru Street, the former police precinct, now the venue for Police Station 10 garages and for the brief detention of “suspects” identified by Station 10 cops. The death certificate noted as cause of death acute anemia, massive hemoperitoneum and pathologic rupture of the spleen. The certificate was registered on 05.03.2014, but dated the death on March 4 th, 2014, and left the time of death box empty On March 4, 2014, GabrielDaniel Dumitrache, aka Dinte, aged 26, living in Bucharest, sector 3, without legal domicile, left the house he shared with his mother and other family members around 7 p.m., to go to work, in the Unirii neighborhood. Daniel was a Roma ethnic and had no formal training and no proper job, but earned his living as a “parking boy”. During the same night March 4 to 5), several policemen came to his mother’s house and asked to see Daniels’ ID. 20 minutes after they left with his birth certificate, the police announced the family that Daniel was dead. The police agents are still under investigation in this case. The APADOR-CH Report of the Dumitrache (Dinte) Case 2014 Report | 16 Ștefan Mako went to APADOR-CH to complain about the beatings and inhuman treatment suffered at the hands of several policemen from the Old Center Police Station in Bucharest, on 22 Şelari Street. Ștefan Mako is a young journalist with Casa Jurnalistului (Journalist’s House), a community of independent reporters who publish mainly online features and investigations. Bucharest, Romania 2014, two community policemen brutalize a citizen and the journalist who got them on camera in the city center Lately, Mako has been documenting a story about police abuse starting from the case of Daniel Gabriel Dumitrache, who died in the Police Station 10 garages. The APADOR-CH report on the Mako Case Video The Mako Case How one gets beaten by the police for doing one’s job The policeman inventoried the personal belongings of the journalist and his ID, all displayed on the table, noticed that he had a Hungarian name and his residence was in Covasna Country and asked him ironically: “So, you, a country boy, come here to videotape me?” Swear words, threats of rape, another slap on the cheek and a spit on the face followed. Then, the angry policemen accused the journalist he had no civic spirit, because he intervened while they were identifying an “aggressor”. APADOR-CH requested for Police Station 10 to be closed 2014 Report | 17 Public Communication Useful Information Given the general discontent caused by the inability to exercise one’s right to vote for the presidential elections abroad, APADOR-CH diversified its Useful Information section inaugurated in 2013 on the website of the Association, by adding new forms that citizens were able to use in demanding their rights. The following information was added to the site: - What is hate speech and how you can oppose it - How to check whether your Personal Number voted instead of you for the presidential elections - How to file a penal complaint if you were prevented to vote - How to contest a misdemeanor report Reactions to Human Rights Abuse and Legislative Advocacy Advocacy against the Big Brother laws The Big Brother law should not have been passed! – the European Court of Justice said today We ask MPs to vote against the draft bill on registered pre-pay cards APADOR-CH asked MPs and parties to abrogate Big Brother Law The Parliament stealthily grants the Government’s wish to monitor pre-pay phone and wireless internet users The Parliament connects our computers directly to secret service servers Who can still stop the signing of the pre-pay cards law Last appeal for a complaint of unconstitutionality against the pre-pay cards law: Băsescu to the Constitutional Court - Big Brother is unconstitutional, don’t christen any new relatives How many unconstitutionality verdicts to you need to respect our private lives? The law on pre-pay phone and Wi-Fi cards sold only with ID declared unconstitutional The appeal of the civil society to declare the Cybernetic Security Law as unconstitutional We commend the initiative of liberal MPs to attack Cybernetic Security Law 2014 Report | 18 APADOR-CH asks for the Special Telecommunicatio ns Service (STS) to be abolished The Government wants to punish crimes before they are committed Reaction to amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code APADOR-CH and other 17 organizations filed an “amicus curiae” brief with the Constitutional Court in order to stop the Parliament from suppressing NGOs A procedure introduced for the first time to Romania by APADOR-CH in order to support human rights causes before the Constitutional Court The Superior Council of Magistrates should consult with journalists before issuing a media guide End the Orthodox Church monopoly on religion school textbooks APADOR-CH asked the Minister of Education to organize consultations for the contents of the new religion textbooks, because the ones used during the last two decades teach children intolerance and indoctrinate them. APADOR-CH and other 19 civic organizations asked for a public debate of the final form of the draft Constitution Whom are the gendarmes in Pungești protecting – as a continuation of the 2013 report on the breech of fundamental freedoms for Pungești inhabitants, APADOR-CH asked the Ministry of Interior to modify the order that made such abuse from the authorities possible r. Actions against the emergency ordinance that allows mayors to switch party right before the elections Misters Ponta and Dragnea, don’t put law between brackets! APADOR-CH asks the Ombudsman to attack the party-switching ordinance The ordinance was declared unconstitutional after the presidential elections APADOR-CH continued to monitor the creation of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture After 5 years of delays, the Government wants to introduce an “emergency” National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture How is the Ombudsman looking for experts in torture prevention 2014 Report | 19 Local authorities sell public information with a trade mark-up An APADOR-CH project analyzing how local and central public authorities enforce Law 544/2001 on access to public information by adding sometimes prohibitive taxes in order to discourage citizens to request information For ten years, Romanian has been in an emergency situation every three days An APADOR-CH initiative underlining the tendency of all Romanian governments to pass laws instead of the Parliament, by abusively using emergency ordinances Video advocacy In 2014, APADOR-CH developed a video section of its public communication activities Several campaigns and projects supported by the organization in 2014 had a video illustration, and some of our multimedia clips were successful on social media networks as well as in mainstream media. SRI wants to “fix” our computers by force – a film on how the Romanian intelligence Service hopes to regulate the Internet in Romania and monitor all online activity under the pretext of providing national cybernetic security. Iulia Motoc, ECHR judge: Detention conditions and unlawful arrests dominate the country’s cases before the ECHR. A short interview about the new ECHR procedures and the cases Romanians bring before the European Court. What are Romanians expecting from the EU – a series of interviews with Bucharest citizens about their expectations on Europe’s Day and before European elections. Do you know your rights? – a fundraising campaign aiming to redirect 2% of income tax to APADORCH, during which citizens were asked whether they were aware of their rights. 2014 Report | 20 Media coverage Starting in 2014, APADOR-CH has an organization blog page on the Adevărul online platform. The members and staff of APADOR-CH post opinion pieces and useful information on a weekly basis. All entries posted in 2014 Radio RFI, December 23, 2014 The Cybernetic Security Law – problems and solutions România liberă, December 22, 2014 Questions raised by the Cybernetic Security Law TVR, December 19, 2014 The Cybernetic Security Law passed by Parliament Radio RFI, December 10, 2014 Romania, indirectly incriminated by report on CIA activity Adevărul, December 3, 2014 Facebook – public space. The consequences of the Supreme Court decision upon de users of the popular social media network Hotnews, November 20, 2014 APADOR-CH asks for the resignation of Senator Gabriela Firea, after CNCD (National Council for 2014 Report | 21 Combating Discrimination) decides the accusations she brought against President Klaus Iohannis for having no children were discriminatory Radio RFI, November 20, 2014 APADOR-CH: top government members committed a crime by preventing vote abroad România liberă, November 12, 2014 Journalist brutalized by the police for video of cops beating a man. NGOs ask the MoI to sanction the policemen involved. Bucharest police launches investigation into the incident Click, November 7, 2014 This is how you find out if someone else voted instead of you Radio RFI, November 6, 2014 Presidential ballot – second round: What can be done so not a single vote is prevented? ProTV News, November 6, 2014 APADOR-CH: “How to check whether your Personal Number voted instead of you for the presidential elections” Libertatea, November 6, 2014 Man beaten by cops receives damages from the ECH and Presidential elections: How you can find out whether someone else voted instead of you Mediafax, November 5, 2014 APADOR-CH: Romanian man beaten by cops received 7,500 Euro damages from the ECHR Think Outside the Box, November 5, 2014 Another Romanian beaten by cops finds justice at the ECHR, while national police keeps beating up people Mediafax, November 3, 2014 APADOR-CH asks the Government to eliminate statutory declarations from the Electoral Law before the second round Metropotam, October 31, 2014 Presidential elections 2014: electoral misdemeanors and offences DIGI 24, October 26, 2014 The ECHR decides against Romania: „No prescription for miners’ riot crimes” TVR, September 17, 2014 The ECHR decides to reopen the miners’ riot file of 1990. Exclusive: Marin Stoica’s testimony 2014 Report | 22 Radio România Actualități, September 17, 2014 The ECHR has the Romanian state re-open the investigation into the miners’ riot EVZ, September 17, 2014 The ECHR decides that Romanian should reopen the miners’ riot case. Iliescu: “Miners also did good things” România liberă, September 17, 2014 ECHR: Romania must provide justice for the victims of the miners’ riots. The investigation of crimes against humanity must continue Mediafax, September 17, 2014 The ECHR has Romania continue investigations into the miners’ riot file Radio RFI, September 16, 2014 Pre-pay phone cards may still be bought without producing ID Digi24TV, August 31, 2014 State institutions have tariffs for providing public information Digi24TV, August 28, 2014 Favoring laws: Ferentari neighborhood buried in mud and empty promises. The project was under the administration of a governmental NGO România liberă, July 27, 2014 Romania under a state of emergency? PM Ponta passed an emergency ordinance every 72 hours Radio RFI, July 4, 2014 Emergency ordinances come rolling. How can they be stopped? Hotnews, June 26, 2014 Romanians will have to show ID to buy pre-pay phone cards after January 1, 2016 – Specialty Committees of the Chamber of Deputies Mediafax, June 25, 2014 The ECHR decides against Romania after Baia Mare ex-mayor fails to respond to journalist TVR, June 14-15, 2014 Romanian intelligence agencies will have access to any public or private computer system TVR, April 13, 2014 – Ultima ediție Collecting ID of pre-pay phone users – between necessity and violation of rights TVR – news, April 9, 2014 Law stipulating the archiving of traffic data must be abrogated – EU court of Justice decides 2014 Report | 23 Mediafax, April 9, 2014 Pre-pay phone cards to be bought and used only after providing ID Adevărul, April 8, 2014 EU Court of Justice invalidates Big Brother Directive Mediafax, April 8, 2014 APADOR-CH: EU Court of Justice has invalidated Big Brother Directive. Romanian authorities must abrogate the law Realitatea TV, March 21, 2014 APADOR-CH attorney Nicoleta Popescu, invited to TV show „În ultimă instanță” (At the Last Instance) to discuss police station beatings Think Outside the Box, March 19, 2014 Protest against police abuse after young man is beaten to death Vice, March 18, 2014 Abandon all your rights at the door, if you end up in police lock-up Hotnews, March 13, 2014 APADOR-CH: In the case of the parking boy who died at a police precinct in the Capital, the European Convention on Human Rights was breeched Adevărul, March 13, 2014 Is torture to death possible in a State of Law? Revista 22, March 12, 2014 APADOR-CH: Report on the case of Gabriel-Daniel Dumitrache, who died in Police Station 10 garages Mediafax, January 30, 2014 APADOR-CH asks for a delay in the enforcement of Criminal Codes after signaling flaws România liberă, January 22, 2014 APADOR-CH asks for the STS to be abolished: the Apuseni crash demonstrated the uselessness of the institution RealitateaTV, January 22, 2014 APADOR-CH asks for the STS to be abolished: the Apuseni crash only revealed its uselessness 2014 Report | 24 Funders In 2014, the activity of APADOR-CH was financially supported by: • Balkan Trust for Democracy • The European Commission • The Civil Society Development Foundation through its Accelerator Fund, part of the Civic Innovation Fund program • Open Society Institute’s Human Rights and Governance Program • United Nation Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture