ReligiousFreedom

JAPAN: Abduction and Deprivation of Freedom for the Purpose of Religious De-Conversion (2011)

2012-01-01T15:56:00.000+01:00

JAPAN

Japan Fails to Protect Citizens from Abductions and Confinement for Forced Religious De-Conversion

"One Cannot State that there is Freedom of Religion in Japan"
HRWF Brussels (31.12.2011) -  Human Rights Without Frontiers International (HRWF Int'l), an independent nongovernmental organization, today released a 62-page report that documents the abduction and confinement of Japanese citizens for the purpose of religious de-conversion, and the failure of Japanese police and judicial authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for such cases of domestic violence.

"The failure to provide the victims of such kidnappings with equal protection under the law, and the impunity of those responsible, constitute a serious violation of the Japanese people's constitutionally guaranteed rights and the international human rights standards to which Japan is legally bound," stated Willy Fautre, Director of the Brussels-based NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers Int'l.

Fautre and Aaron Rhodes, an international human rights advocate who helped organize the report, interviewed numerous victims, who were mainly members of the Unification Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as journalists, lawyers, and experts. They also met with 10 members of the Japanese Diet to discuss the issue.

The kidnapping and often violent forced detention of Japanese who have joined these religious movements, usually by their own families along with "exit counselors," has occurred for decades but has been ignored by police and judicial authorities despite unequivocal evidence of crimes.

"It is completely unacceptable that all known complaints against parents and exit counselors have been declared ineligible," Aaron Rhodes said.

"In the face of such official negligence and impunity, one cannot state that there is freedom of religion in Japan," he said.

Japan: Abduction and Deprivation of Freedom for the Purpose of Religious De-Conversion is available on-line at http://www.hrwf.net (On the homepage in the section "Our Reports").

Link to the full report (62 pages PDF): http://www.hrwf.net/Joom/images/reports/2011/1231%20report%20final.pdf

For interviews:

Willy Fautre: +32 478 202069 - Email: w.fautre@hrwf.net
Aaron Rhodes: +49 170 323 8314 - Email: aaronarhodes@gmail.com

NORTH KOREA: A NEW CHAPTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS NEEDS TO UNFOLD

2011-12-20T01:26:00.000+01:00

A NEW CHAPTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREANEEDS TO UNFOLD

Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok, London, New York, Paris,Brussels (ICNK and HRWF, 19.12.2011) - The death of Kim Jong Il on 17 December 2011represents a unprecedented opportunity for North Korea's new leaders, includingKim Jong-un, to turn a new page on the human rights situation in the countryand put an end to widespread and systematic violations which have characterizedthe regime and brutalized the North Korean people for too long, said theInternational Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK)today. The North Korean government must cease these violations, end impunityand ensure justice for countless victims.

The leaders of DPRK shouldimmediately put an end to practices such as forced labor, forced abortion ofreturnees, torture or executions, close all kwan-li-so(political prisoners' camps) and release all political prisoners andabductees, urged ICNK.

"North Korea remainsa closed country and access is therefore urgently needed for independent andneutral human rights monitors, in particular the UN Special Rapporteur forHuman Rights in North Korea and international humanitarian organizations",said Souhayr Belhassen, president of the International Federation for HumanRights (FIDH). The Coalition will continue its campaign for the establishmentof a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity that havecharacterized North Korea today and in the past.

"The death of KimJong-il opens up an opportunity which the international community should seize,to help free the North Korean people from decades of brutal oppression. Whilethere may be a period of uncertainty and instability in the days ahead, theinternational community should ensure that the severe human rights and humanitariancrisis in North Korea is placed firmly on the agenda alongside security andpolitical concerns," said Benedict Rogers, East Asia Team Leader atChristian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). "Action must be taken to bring anend to the regime's crimes against humanity and the culture of impunity."

The InternationalCoalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) includes humanrights campaigners from around the world, including Asia, Latin America, NorthAmerica, and Europe. Survivors of North Korean prison camps, and their groupssuch as Free NK Gulag, have added their support to the Coalition.

For further information please contact:
Seoul, Ha TaeKeung, Open North Korea & Secretariat to the Coalition (Korean, English):+82-50-5470-7470; or opennk@naver.com
Tokyo, Kanae Doi,Human Rights Watch (Japanese, English): +81-3-5282-5162;+81-90-2301-4372(mobile); or doik@hrw.org
Bangkok, PhilRobertson, Human Rights Watch (English, Thai): +66-85-060-8406 (mobile); or robertp@hrw.org
London, BenedictRogers, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (English): +44-208-329-0041 or+44-7823-329664; or ben@csw.org.uk
New York, DavidHawk (English): +1-732-793-3104 (mobile); or hawkdavid@hotmail.com:
Paris, ArthurManet, International Federation for Human Rights (French, English): +33 1 43 5590 19 ; or amanet@fidh.org
Brussels, WillyFautre, Human Rights Without Frontiers: +3223456145 or w.fautre@hrwf.net
Website : http://stopnkcrimes.org/

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The full statement summarising theobjectives of the ICNK is as follows:

The International Coalition to Stop Crimes AgainstHumanity in North Korea unites the world's major international human rightsorganizations, campaigners for freedom for North Korea and survivors of theNorth Korean gulags in a global campaign seeking a full investigation of theregime's crimes against humanity through a United Nations Commission ofInquiry.

The Coalition aims to bring together all the keyorganizations and individuals working on North Korean human rights, because webelieve that a common, united effort will influence international political andpublic opinion and send a powerful message to the regime.

The Coalition fully recognizes the need to deploya wide range of skills and initiatives to bring change to North Korea, andcompletely respects the individuality of each Coalition member. Coalitionmembers will be free to pursue a variety of approaches, but will unite in acommon campaign to seek the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry.

Coalition members will include organizations andindividuals from across the world, including throughout Asia, North America,Latin America and Europe.
2. Members and supporters of the Coalitionare as follows:

Advocates International Global Council
Amnesty International
Asia Justice and Rights
Asian Federation Against InvoluntaryDisappearances
Asian Human Rights & HumanityAssociation of Japan
Burma Partnership (Thailand)
Christian Lawyers Association for Paraguay
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea(USA)
Conectas (Brazil)
Council for Human Rights in North Korea(Canada)
Freedom House (USA)
Free NK Gulag (ROK)
Free North Korea Radio (ROK)
Han Voice (Canada)
HH Katacombs (ROK)
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Without Frontiers (Belgium)
Inter-American Federation of ChristianLawyers
International Federation for Human Rights(FIDH)
COMJAN (Investigation Commission onMissing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea)(Japan)
Japanese Lawyers Association for Abductionand Other Human Rights Issues in North Korea
Jubilee Campaign (USA)
Justice for North Korea (ROK)
Kontras (Indonesia)
Liberty in North Korea - LiNK (USA)
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees(Japan)
Network for North Korean Democracy andHuman Rights (ROK)
NK Intellectual Solidarity (ROK)
NO FENCE (Japan)
North Korea Freedom Coalition
Odhikar (Bangladesh)
Open North Korea (ROK)
People In Need (Czech Republic)
PSALT NK (Prayer Service Action Love Truthfor North Korea)
The Simon Wiesenthal Center (USA)
The Society to Help Returnees to NorthKorea (Japan)
Students Alliance for Human Rights inNorth Korea (ROK)
Young Defectors' Alliance for North KoreanHuman Rights (ROK)
Yuki Akimoto, Burmainfo (Japan)
Tomoharu Ebihara
David Hawk, Visiting Scholar, ColumbiaUniversity, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, and author of Hidden Gulag
Ken Kato, Director, Human Rights in Asia(Japan)
Tomoyuki Kawazoe, Representative, KanagawaAssociation for The Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea / Member,Reporters Without Borders
Suzanne Scholte, Seoul Peace PrizeRecipient & Defense Forum Foundation (USA)
Dr. NorbertVollertsen

HRWF in the News about North Korea

NGOs demand official inquiry into North Korea'scrimes against humanity
http://www.theparliament.com/policy-focus/foreign-affairs/foreign-affairs-article/newsarticle/ngos-demand-official-inquiry-into-north-koreas-crimes-against-humanity
EU urged to help bring North Korea 'back intofold'
http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/eu-urged-to-help-bring-north-korea-back-into-fold/
EU urged to continue restrictive sanctionsagainst North Korea
http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/eu-urged-to-continue-restrictive-sanctions-against-north-korea/
http://blog.chosun.com/blog.log.view.screen?blogId=73049&logId=5822056
MEP calls for renewed talks to resolve Koreanconflict
http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/mep-calls-for-renewed-talks-to-resolve-korean-conflict/
North Koreans talk of baby killings
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/10/world/n-koreans-talk-of-baby-killings.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Don't deport North Korean women
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t107869.html
North Korean refugees face forced abortion andinfanticide
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6899/is_7_29/ai_n28129955/
N. Korea killing prison babies, defectors say
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-06-12/news/0206120259_1_women-prisoners-defectors-north-korea
North Korean babies
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2002_33_tue_05.shtml
North Korea engages in forced abortion,infanticide
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=18323
2008 North Korean Human Rights Campaign
http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=4029
North Korean in Czech jobs: Slave Labor?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/world/asia/08iht-czech.3455560.html
Forum focuses on N. Korea's rights abuses
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/10/news/mn-27313
Le cauchemar des prisons nord-coréennes
http://www.radicalparty.org/fr/content/le-cauchemar-des-prisons-cor%C3%A9ennes

EU AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA): A REALITY CHECK

2011-11-09T13:25:00.000+01:00

EU AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA):

A REALITY CHECK

Human Rights Without Frontiers Int'l

"EU NEWS"

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of the present report is to provide a critical assessment of the work of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and to identify some shortfalls in the overall EU system of promotion and protection of EU fundamental rights and values. The work on the report has been guided by the premise that the new fundamental rights dimension of the EU policies, ensuing from the legally binding nature of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as incorporated in the Lisbon Treaty, makes it necessary for the European Union to develop and consolidate a genuine culture of fundamental rights at the level of both EU institutions and EU Member States broadly and when applying and implementing the Union Law.

The importance of a EU fundamental rights culture has been widely acknowledged but it is still in its nascent stages and risks to remain rudimentary, unless a proper institutional architecture is installed to support its development and consolidation. Notwithstanding the existing mechanisms and legal provisions in place, the whole system remains fragmented and reactive.

In its resolution of 15 December 2010, the European Parliament calls on the EU institutions and Member States to increase coherence among their various bodies responsible for monitoring and implementation of fundamental rights protection and to reinforce a cross-EU monitoring mechanism, as well as an early warning system, similar to the UN Universal Periodic Review. However, the European Union still lacks a comprehensive internal human rights structure to ensure cross-institutional coordination and to allow each institution to build upon other institutions' reports and institutional expertise acquired in the process of their autonomous processes of conducting compatibility checks and impact assessments of legislative proposals and policies.

On its side, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which has been in existence since 2007 as a "focused observation and assessment agency on Union policies", falls short of filling the gap of a much-needed early warning mechanism and ex ante examination of breaches or risk of breaches of EU fundamental rights. Most importantly, FRA fails short of fulfilling two important criteria underlying the UN Paris Principles governing the work of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), i.e. a broad mandate and full-fledged independence.

Despite these deficiencies, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights still can carve an important role for itself in the overall EU fundamental rights architecture, if properly resourced, mandated and politically supported. In this respect, the objective of this report is to raise critical questions at a period when the Agency is coming to the end of its first five-year Multiannual Framework (MAF) and starts planning for its second five-year cycle of existence. This should be seen as a critical juncture of the institutional learning process of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. It is therefore an opportune time to assess the Agency's position and role within the EU fundamental rights architecture as well as its added value and ability to mobilise resources and expertise to fulfil its mandate within the context of the prescribed broad-based participatory process of consultations within the EU and its Member States.

Report drafted by Nadja Milanova

Brussels, 7 November 2011

FULL -REPORT (72 pages) PDF

______________________________________

EU AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA):

A REALITY CHECK

By Dr Nadja Milanova

See the full-report (72 pages) at http://www.hrwf.net

(Homepage/ Our Reports/ 2011)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive summary

Chapter I: EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) : Genesis and overview

Fundamental human rights policy in the EU: New architecture

Monitoring of fundamental rights

The genesis of FRA: Inherent asymmetries

The creation of FRA

Chapter II: EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Institutional model

FRA as a specialized EU Agency

FRA and the Paris Principles

Scope of FRA's mandate

FRA's independence

FRA and NHRIs in EU Member States

Chapter III: EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Organisational structure

Overall control of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights

Relations with EU institutions and Member States

The role of civil society in the work of FRA

Chapter IV: EU fundamental rights culture: An Illusion or a reality?

The case of Hungary

Monitoring of the EU Member States' compliance with fundamental rights

Timeline of Hungary's adoption of new Media Law and reaction to it

Timeline of Hungary's adoption of new Constitution and reaction to it

Timeline of Hungary's adoption of new Religion Law and reaction to it

Recommendations

Annexes

List of relevant documents

The Paris Principles relating to the status of national institutions

Members of FRA's Management Board

Members of FRA's Scientific Committee

FRA's National Liaison Officers

Editor-in-Chief: Willy Fautre Website: http://www.hrwf.net
http://www.willyfautre.org
Email: international.secretariat.brussels@hrwf.net