Citizens' appeals

In March 2023, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights received 9,105 appeals, including 9,040 individual appeals and 65 collective appeals on violations of citizens' rights. The most common groups of applicants: The most common appeals by category of violated right.

Shooting for the words "Glory to Ukraine"

In March, Ukrainians were shocked by a video in which Russian soldiers shot a Ukrainian defender for saying "Glory to Ukraine." The shooting of a captured Ukrainian serviceman is a violation of the Geneva Conventions. When the words "Glory to Ukraine" evoke honor, respect and pride all over the world, Russians shoot for the Ukrainian slogan... It is very painful to watch what the occupiers are doing to our people. Ukraine's goal, as well as of the entire democratic world, is to bring the Russian Federation to justice. The video was sent to international partners and ombudsmen from different countries of the world as confirmation of yet another Russian war crime. (...)

Zaragoza 31/03/2023

El presidente de la Cortes de Aragón, Javier Sada, el vicepresidente del Gobierno de Aragón, Arturo Aliaga, el rector de la Universidad de Zaragoza, José Antonio Mayoral y el lugarteniente del Justicia de Aragón, Javier Hernández, han firmado hoy la creación de la Cátedra de Derecho Civil y Foral de Aragón.

La cátedra es la primera nacida con esta perspectiva y también la primera que se firma entre cuatro instituciones aragonesas. Sus objetivos son todos los relacionados con la investigación del Derecho Civil y Foral de Aragón, el apoyo e incentivación de proyectos de investigación, tesis doctorales, trabajos fin de máster y de fin de grado, la realización de congresos y jornadas (tanto científicos como de divulgación), la edición de publicaciones…

El Derecho foral, de competencia exclusiva de la nuestra Comunidad Autónoma, es el Derecho civil que regula las relaciones de Derecho privado de los aragoneses; forma parte del ordenamiento jurídico español, pero también, en el contexto actual, es un Derecho europeo más, aplicable no solo a los aragoneses sino también a los foráneos, cuando la ley aplicable a las relaciones privadas sea la aragonesa.

Se trata de un Derecho civil vivo, de larga tradición histórica, que tiene su respaldo en la Constitución y el Estatuto de Autonomía de Aragón. El Derecho foral de Aragón constituye una de las señas de identidad de la Comunidad.

Resulta necesario seguir contando con especialistas en el Derecho foral de Aragón, tanto para poder interpretar y aplicar adecuadamente este Derecho, como para seguir impulsando su actualización, conforme a las necesidades que vaya demandando la evolución de la sociedad aragonesa.

El Derecho foral aragonés es el Derecho común de los aragoneses, cuenta con instituciones propias y diversas a otras reguladas por el resto de los Derechos civiles españoles.

En Aragón, el pacto y la autonomía de la voluntad tienen una especial relevancia, que refleja el principio de standum est chartae. Por lo tanto, para una buena elaboración de normas civiles aragonesas, su correcta interpretación y aplicación se exige la presencia de especialistas en esta materia y, para ello, es imprescindible contar con la financiación necesaria para la formación de investigadores en ella potenciando, a la vez, la divulgación de nuestro Derecho dentro y fuera de nuestras fronteras.

En los próximos días se procederá a la constitución de la comisión mixta, la aprobación del Plan de Trabajo y la propuesta de directora de la Cátedra (está previsto que lo sea la Dra. Carmen Bayod López, catedrática de Derecho Civil en la Facultad de Derecho, secretaria académica del Instituto Universitario de Investigación de Patrimonio y Humanidades y vocal de la Comisión aragonesa de Derecho civil).

On March 30-31, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise participated in a meeting at the invitation of the European Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, where they discussed how to apply artificial intelligence in such a way that human rights are protected.

The Chancellor of Justice shared Estonia's experience and emphasized the need to distinguish automated administrative decisions from decisions made with the help of artificial intelligence, as well as the answer of a chatbot without binding consequences from a decision with binding ones. In the latter case - if they should be allowed in the relationship between a person and the state authority - it is important from which sources the machine obtains information about the person and whether this data is correct, according to which logic the data is analyzed and how the result is reached. What is important is that the person knows that the decision was made by a machine and that they can challenge it effectively if needed.

With the support of artificial intelligence, the protection of people's rights and freedoms can be significantly improved, because the machine is able to solve problems quickly and without mistakes, and does not commit a crime of corruption. Unfortunately, an uncontrolled machine can do bad things just as effectively: amplifying unequal treatment and past mistakes, for example. Therefore, Estonia also needs to move forward with Bürokrat and other artificial intelligence solutions, but it is necessary to regulate both automated decisions and the use of artificial intelligence. In any case, caution is in order.

In the photo, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise with her Dutch colleague Reinier van Zutphen and Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Lubinets.

The Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, attending the exchange of views about artificial intelligence and human rights with the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović. The Ombudsman adjudged the meeting especially important since the majority of attention directed at artificial intelligence is focused on its potential to support economic growth, while much less regard is devoted to the question of its influence on fundamental rights. “It is essential that the technological development of artificial intelligence be made in appropriate legal-ethical frameworks that will strengthen the existing levels of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of every individual and reinforce legitimate democratic processes,” assessed the Ombudsman.

“It is due to the dangers on one hand and positive potentials of artificial intelligence on the other that I as the Human Rights Ombudsman support the efforts to prepare a legal instrument of the Council of Europe on the development, design, and use of artificial intelligence that will be based on standards of the Council of Europe for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law,” said the Ombudsman. He added that the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), of which also the Slovenian institution of the Ombudsman is a member, also prepared its written positions on the draft of the Convention of the Council of Europe on artificial intelligence and comments related to the activities in the European Union. The ENNHRI network also accentuates the need for national supervisory bodies that will monitor the uniformity with the convention and prohibit practices representing unacceptable risk. Regardless of whether the national institutions are appointed supervisory bodies or not, ENNHRI calls for the mentioned convention to stipulate collaboration with them and other existing bodies for human rights. This includes their right to access information about how AI is used and data it gathers for the implementation of its tasks.

The Ombudsman informed those gathered at the meeting that the institution of the Ombudsman has been dealing with two cases touching the field of operation of bodies in the use of data technologies or artificial intelligence. He also presented both cases in detail; the first about the police use of data from passenger name records for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist and major criminal offences, and the second involving police use of computer technologies for face recognition. Even though the Ombudsman has not yet dealt with a case in which potential irregularities in the use of artificial intelligence for the needs of authorities would be confirmed, the institution is aware of the pitfalls of using artificial intelligence for human rights, and thus closely monitors the field.

The Ombudsman emphasises that the development of technologies demands that all who strive for the protection of human rights and freedoms have adequate and quality knowledge, “since we can protect people only if we are appropriately equipped with it, while at the same time we can transfer in interactions it to everyone who need it for these purposes. With knowledge and clearly set rules of the game it is possible to prevent consequences for people’s lives.” Human Rights Ombudsman Svetina also reminded the attendees about the necessity of inter-ministerial cooperation in individual countries and the international collaboration as well as the significance of the flow of information between policy-makers on the one hand and the community that develops and uses artificial intelligence on the other. He also warned about the responsibility of developed Western countries to help developing countries in the field of artificial intelligence “because otherwise the technological vacuum will be entered by countries and private companies that do not have respect for human rights in the development of artificial intelligence high on their priority list.”

El colectivo presentó una queja en la Diputación del Común por el ruido del ocio nocturno en el municipio

Rafael Yanes se comprometió a contactar con el Ayuntamiento de La Laguna para conocer si se están cumpliendo las ordenanzas municipales

Representantes de la Asociación de Vecinos ‘Casco Histórico de La Laguna’ se reunieron con el Diputado del Común, Rafael Yanes, para denunciar que sufren problemas de ruido por el ocio nocturno en el municipio.

Los representantes remarcaron que “no es un problema de ahora, ya que desde hace mucho tiempo no se cumple lo establecido en la normativa. Esta circunstancia está creando una situación de impunidad”.

La Asociación destacó que “por el casco histórico no puede circular ningún transporte con más de 3.000 kilos, ni se pueden superar los 60 decibelios en el casco antiguo, dos requisitos que no se están cumpliendo”.

El presidente de la Asociación, Pablo Reyes, pidió “un uso racional de los espacios públicos, ya que, aunque las actividades generan economía, exigen que haya coordinación y control del sonido. Esta situación provoca problemas de sueño y de salud en los vecinos”. Según trasladó Reyes, “son varias las denuncias presentadas por la Asociación debido a la contaminación acústica, el incumplimiento de los horarios de los artistas callejeros, etc”.

El Diputado del Común, por su parte, se comprometió en contactar con el Ayuntamiento de La Laguna para conocer si se está cumpliendo con la ordenanza municipal. “Este tipo de quejas son comunes en la Diputación del Común, ya que es un problema compaginar el derecho al ocio con el derecho al descanso”.

Por su parte, los miembros de la Asociación presentaron una queja en la Diputación del Común denunciando su situación.