Donor: Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and German Embassy in Belgrade
Duration of the project: January – December 2007      

The Annual Human Rights Report was published in February 2008. This Report consist of the two chapters The first chapter – Legal provisions related to human rights dealing with the provisions of the Serbian Constitution, laws and regulations related to human rights in comparison with international treaties binding Serbia. The analysis focus on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) as the most important documents in this field. Particularly references is made to specific cases from the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Other standards established by international treaties which deal with specific human rights (e.g. Convention against Torture, Convention on the Right of the Child, etc) also have been taken into consideration. (more…)

Donor: Norwegian People’s Aid   
Duration of the project: September 2007 – May 2008

This project has started in 2002 and continued in 2007 and 2008. The aim of the project is to retrain members of legal profession responsible for protection and the implementation of human rights (i.e. legal professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, government officials involved in the reform of judiciary in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and the human rights NGOs activists). (more…)

Donor: Swedish Helsinki Committee  
Duration of the project: July 2007 – June 2008

Treatment of persons deprived of their liberty remains one of the most frequent problems in the field of human rights in Serbia. The one of the main reasons for relatively frequent violations of this right is shortcoming of legal education and low awareness on international standards. There are only a few judgments per year with compensations for unlawful deprivation of liberty, illegal or arbitrary detention or other violations of the right to liberty and security of person. Therefore Belgrade Centre for Human Rights prolonged cooperation with Swedish Helsinki Committee with the main goal to spread knowledge on international standards of liberty and security of person. Translating European Court of Human Rights judgement is essential to bring closer the practice of the Court not only to judges but to the legal professionals, students and population in general in Serbia. Additionally, the book on European Court of Human Rights judgements contributed to the legal education on universities and professional development training of judges and prosecutors. It will provide useful teaching and research material for all those who need to acquire the basic knowledge or to expand their capacities and view of the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. (more…)

Donor: American Bar Association (ABA-CELLI)
Duration of the project: June 2007 – February 2008

In November 2004, the Serbian Parliament adopted Access to Information Law (FOIA). However, major difficulties arise when it comes to the implementation of the Law. Precisely, the authorities – competent for providing access to information of public interest – foster the culture of secrecy, thus restricting access to information; the general public (citizens, media, NGOs) – those who are entitled to request access to information – restrain from using FOIA, due to the variety of reasons (lack of information on their rights according to FOIA and the use of FOIA, lack of trust in institutions due to the general absence of the rule of law in the country). (more…)

Donor: Delegation of the European Commission, German Embassy in Belgrade and Ron Brown Foundation
Duration of the project: March 2007 – March 2008

This project lasted one year and was realised in ten schools in Serbia. Ministry Education of Serbia provided the written support for the activities on the project. In the firs phase of the project booklet on world major religions was produced. The authors of the book are Dino Abazovic, teaching assistant the Sarajevo University Faculty of Philosophy and Prof. Milan Vukomanovic, professor at the Belgrade University Faculty of Philosophy (Sociology Chair) and Jelena Radojkovic from the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights. After publishing the booklet as a material for the seminar ten two-day seminars were held in Kovačica, Subotica, Požarevac, Prijepolje, Bujanovac, Dimitrovgrad, Negotin, Šabac, Čačak and Vladičin han. About 400 students attended seminars. Local coordinators were chosen among the teaching staff by school principles. (more…)

Donor: Neighbourhood Programme of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Duration of the project: January – May 2007

The authors of the individual country reports in the second Regional Human Rights Report endeavoured to highlight the segments of national legislation and especially practices, which are the most disputable from the viewpoint of the respect of human rights, whilst simultaneously abiding by the specified methodology and list of topics. Notwithstanding specific similarities, there are significant differences amongst the legal orders of the countries covered by this Report. (more…)