The Human Rights Monitoring Institute has released the fourth annual overview of human rights in Lithuania. At the press conference, Kestutis Cilinskas (HRMI Board Chair), Dainius Puras (HRMI Board Member and Member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child), Henrikas Mickevicius (HRMI Executive Director) and Jolanta Samuolyte (HRMI Research Director) presented the overview and answered questions by the media.
Human Rights Overview 2006 states that Lithuanians do not feel secure, hesitate to speak their mind, feel a lack of justice, and do not trust state institutions. Analysis has shown that these fears are not groundless.
In 2006, the acute problems related to the protection of the right to privacy remained unsolved. On the contrary, restrictions on this right continued – video surveillance systems were increasingly installed; biometric passports were introduced without public discussion or proper technical preparation; and the installment of surveillance programmes allowing control of electronic communications at workplaces increased without legal authorization.
Distrust for courts and law-enforcement bodies persisted. Trial monitoring revealed that courts routinely violate the guarantees of a fair trial and pre-trial investigations are often performed unprofessionally. There is still a lack of political will to implement essential reforms. Moreover, politicians demonstrated an unacceptable attitude towards the judicial system and there were instances of improper comments made by politicians about unresolved court cases.
Events of 2006 demonstrated a lack of understanding of the right to freedom of expression by the media, politicians, and state institutions. For example, the State Security Department requested that electronic portals disclose the contact data of visitors who wrote critical comments about the Department.
The overview drew attention to long standing problems that have contributed to the marginalization of certain social groups, in particular the Roma minority and mentally disabled.
Racism, xenophobia and intolerance cases receive little more than an acknowledgment from officials.
These and numerous other problems indicate that Lithuania needs a coordinated national human rights policy. However, for years the idea of establishing a national human rights institution has hung in the air. While Lithuanian authorities ignore the issue, in 2006 it received international attention – the UN Committee against Racial Discrimination urged Lithuania to consider establishing an independent national human rights institution.
See full text of the Overview (in Lithuanian) here.
© 2012 Human Rights Monitoring Institute