Although Lithuania signed the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) in 2013, it has not yet been ratified. Only five other EU member states have failed to do so.
EU democracies suffered extra blows during the pandemic, according to our annual report. Good news: the EU has all the tools needed to protect and promote human rights in member states.
A new Liberties report finds that authoritarian governments in the EU upped their attacks against critical journalists and citizens' groups using COVID-19 as cover. But governments in traditionally stronger democracies have also done damage.
Corruption misdirects public funds away from essential services that support citizens through the pandemic. Many governments have made it harder to monitor public spending, according to our new EU-wide report.
Authoritarians in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia abused the pandemic to continue eroding democratic standards, but traditionally strong democracies also disappoint. Here are some of the media coverage about our latest report.
Authoritarians in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia abused the COVID-19 pandemic to further erode democratic standards, but even traditionally strong democracies saw undemocratic flashes.
Democracy and the rule of law have regressed across a large number of European countries in 2020, according to a new, wide-ranging report involving 14 national members across the EU of the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties).
Authoritarians in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia abused the pandemic to continue eroding democratic standards, but traditionally strong democracies also disappoint.
Covid restrictions have created a dangerous climate of arbitrariness and mistrust, resulting in a sick society. Authorities must implement measures that help fight the pandemic without taking away basic freedoms.
