Shrinking Spaces
Policing humanitarianism and human rights defenders
PRESENTATION
Civil society organisations are increasingly under pressure in Europe. NGOs engaged in helping refugees as well as human rights defenders fighting against rule of law backsliding are criminalised, intimidated and charged with legal restrictions. They face an hostile climate of harassment and intimidation. The conference “Shrinking spaces: Policing humanitarianism and human rights defenders” will address how the criminalisation affects the rights of citizens and discuss ways to protect NGOs and human rights defenders.
PROGRAMME
9:00
Accreditation at the EP entrance Place Luxembourg
9:30
Introduction by Erik Marquardt MEP, Greens/EFA
9:40
Key note speech by Salam Aldeen, founder of the NGO Team Humanity, criminalized for helping refugees
10:00
Panel I: CRIMINALIZING SOLIDARITY
Chair: Damien Carême, MEP, Greens/EFA
Guest speakers :
- Sergio Carrera, Senior Research Fellow, CEPS & Professor, Migration Policy Centre at the EUI: Policing of NGOs helping refugees and migrations on the rise in Europe – an overview
- Hendrik Simon, Representative of Iuventa 10: Prosecuting the rescuers
- Violeta Moreno-Lax, Queen Mary University of London: Legal problems with the EU Facilitators Package
- Michele LeVoy, Director of PICUM: What the EU can do to stop the criminalisation of NGOs? - Policy recommendations
11:15
Coffee break
11:35
Panel II: SHRINKING SPACES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Chair: Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP, Greens/EFA
Guest speakers:
- Dr. Vig Dávid, Director, Amnesty International Magyarország/Hungary: the situation in Hungary
- Natacha Kazatchkine, Head of Team, Internal EU Policy, Open Society European Policy Institute: the situation in other member states
- Szymon Ananicz, expert at ideaForum, Stefan Batory Foundation: What else the EU should do to protect human rights defenders - policy recommendations
- Anna Donáth, MEP, Momentum: "From civil society to politics". A testimony from a Hungarian politician
12:45
Ways forward: Seán Binder, Security researcher criminalised for rescue work, and Tineke Strik, MEP, Greens/EFA
13:00
lunch (sandwiches and drinks will be provided)
14:00
Networking Roundtable co-chaired by Eve Geddie, Director of the Amnesty International's European Institutions Office
– on invitation only
