This morning, 4 July 2020, Iskander Yerimbetov, Kazakhstani political prisoner released on 30 December of last year, arrived at the Geneva Airport, Switzerland, after he was granted a humanitarian visa. ODF, the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) and his family warmly welcomed him at the airport, congratulating Yerimbetov for this long-awaited day. This is […]
The coronavirus outbreak was labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. As of 22 June 2020, the WHO had reported cases of COVID-19 in more than 216 countries and more than 8,844,171 people infected worldwide.
The coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. As of 22 June 2020, the WHO had reported cases of COVID-19 in more than 216 countries and more than 8,844,171 people infected worldwide. The scale and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic clearly rises to the level […]
On June 22-23th, our Maksym Sytnikov addressed the issue of violations of freedom of expression and media in Kazakhstan, calling the OSCE bodies to respond to cases of censorship. The intervention took place during the second Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM).
On Monday, June 22nd, less than a week before the first round of the Polish presidential election, our colleague Martin Mycielski was a guest on a special edition of the Europa United Eurochat podcast. The episode was entirely focused on the upcoming election, so after a few questions about ODF and our work Martin dove into the history of the office of the President and its former holders, to then give an overview of the current candidates, their views and chances.
Today, on June 9, 2020, the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court is holding a closed hearing regarding lifting the immunity of judge Igor Tuleya. This and other glaring violations of ECJ judgements and EU law have compelled the world’s leading legal scholars to sign a follow-up letter by ODF and Prof. Laurent Pech to the European Commission regarding the deterioration of the rule of law in Poland.
The last five years have been a period of rapid changes on the political scene in Poland – in 2015, presidential and parliamentary elections were held, and the election campaigns often referred to the dangers of immigration, aroused fears of refugees or Islamists, and appealed to anti-Semitic and anti-Ukrainian sentiments. At the same time, Europe faced the challenge of receiving and integrating large groups of immigrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East. Although this process was not visible in Poland, it became a subject of lively public debate, accompanied by real government action in this field.
Over 70 instances of hate crimes on racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, xenophobicand other grounds. This grim record is a result of Open Dialogue’s latest investigation into hate crimes in Poland. The report covers the period stretching from January to December 2019, and complements the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) annual reporting on “hate incidents” across the OSCE area. Most alarmingly, the report reveals a hate crime-conducive environment with the authorities turning a blind eye, or – worst still – being complicit in endorsing and spreading intolerance, stigmatisation, discrimination or even incitement to violence.
In an interview with Emerging Europe, ODF representatives Katarzyna Szczypska and Martin Mycielski spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of the delayed start of the opposition candidate Rafał Trzaskowski in Polish presidential election, his chances of defeating the current President and also why these elections may be the last fight for the Polish democracy.
On 11 May 2020, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Moldova announced the discontinuation of the investigation against the head of the Open Dialogue Foundation, Lyudmyla Kozlovska.
A prosecutor from Gagauzia with a colourful curriculum vitae closed the investigation against the head of ODF.
The Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) has stopped prosecuting the Head of the Open Dialogue Foundation, Lyudmyla Kozlovska. The information was confirmed by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandr Stoianoglo, in an interview with NewsMaker.
The Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organised Crime and Special Cases has closed the investigation against the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation Lyudmyla Kozlovska. The information was confirmed by Alexandr Stoianoglo, in an interview with NewsMaker.
Due to the decision issued by the District Court in Warsaw on March 13, 2020, state broadcaster Polskie Radio S.A. secured a claim on personal rights protection of ODF, Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Bartosz Kramek. As a result, Polskie Radio updated multiple articles in three language versions (Polish, Russian and Ukrainian) with information regarding pending lawsuits, […]
The Open Dialogue Foundation continues to reiterate its support in advancing the implementation and enforcement of Global Magnitsky sanctions in Europe and overseas. Therefore, together with other 50 leading human rights organisations, ODF has signed a series of letters addressed to the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees in support of continued congressional funding for this powerful foreign policy tool.
The Open Dialogue Foundation provided inputs to the first annual Rule of Law Report, the European Commission’s latest oversight mechanism and a part of its wider rule of law toolbox. Together with experts and practitioners from Poland – judges Dariusz Mazur and Agnieszka Niklas-Bibik, as well as former public media employee, Piotr Owczarski – we submitted our feedback on the worrisome developments in the Polish justice system and media sector in 2019 and the first half of 2020. The European Commission’s initiative will result in the “Rule of Law Report”, expected to be published in September 2020.
As the government of Kazakhstan prepares to receive US$800,000 of additional assistance from the U.S. to cope with the COVID-19 crisis, President Tokayev continues to repress fundamental freedoms unabated.
As the COVID-19 outbreak started to spread in the Republic of Moldova, the Parliament declared the state of emergency on March 17, 2020. Yet, the provided rules, sanctions and restrictions are often unclear and limited.
The next few days and weeks will determine the fate of the Supreme Court, a key institution in the Polish legal system that is currently upholding the independence of the judiciary. In 2018 the Supreme Court was attacked by two foreign bodies, the so-called Disciplinary Chamber (ID) and the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs (IKNiSP). Contrary to their names, they do not consist of independent judges, but of party nominees loyal to the current parliamentary majority and the Law and Justice government.
ODF is a long-standing promoter and advocate of the Global Magnitsky Act. Hence, as a response to the inquiry into whether Australia should examine the use of targeted sanctions to address human rights abuses, ODF submitted its recommendations with the aim of encouraging the adoption of Magnitsky-style sanctions in the national legislation. Our submission, authored by ODF’s team, is available on the Parliament’s website, after becoming an official document of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade – Human Rights sub-committee.
The two biggest campaigns providing meals free-of-charge to health service workers fighting the coronavirus epidemic – our #MealForDoctor and #SustenanceCalling initiatives – are joining forces!
In response to the arrival of (inappropriate) medical supplies from Moscow to the Pratica di Mare military airport, Italy, as well as of military means and high-ranking officers affiliated to the Russian Ministry of Defence to cope with the #COVID19 pandemic (March 22, 2020), ODF, together with other fifteen non-governmental organisations, promoted a letter of appeal addressed to Italy’s PM Giuseppe Conte.
The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the think tank of the EPP, has just published a new research paper entitled “EU Human Rights Promotion in Central Asia – Between the Dragon and the Bear”, written by ODF’s analysts Igor Savchenko, Kateryna Savchenko and Andriy Osavoliuk. The research paper consists of six sections, tackling a wide range of topics, from the promotion of human rights in Central Asia from the EU’s security perspective, to China and Russia’s influence in the region, including an analysis of how Central Asian regimes have progressively adopted human rights violations from Russia and China.
We, human rights and civic organizations, urge the Ukrainian Parliament to restrain from providing police powers to the National Guard of Ukraine by adopting the bill # 3105. We call the Parliament to reject it.
The #MealForADoctor campaign has succeeded beyond our expectations. A spontaneous idea two weeks ago has gained unexpected popularity and resulted in over 500 catering establishments from all over Poland volunteering to participate. We also almost immediately reached several hundred thousand zlotys in donations and have so far raised almost 600,000 zlotys. As a result, meals have been delivered to over a hundred hospitals across the country. These are huge numbers! Your solidarity is fantastic, but it also raises some organisational challenges.
We encourage you to read the detailed infographic summarising our activities from the very beginning of the action until 1 April.
Before the announced presidential election on May 10 in Poland, the Director of Public Affairs of the Open Dialogue Foundation Martin Mycielski gave an interview to the Finnish magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, in which he assessed the real chances of conducting safe and constitutional elections.
As incredible as it may seem in the current climate, with most of Europe on lockdown and national elections cancelled in Serbia and North Macedonia, Poland appears determined to go ahead with its presidential vote, set to be held on May 10. A second round, if needed, would take place two weeks later
A few days ago, we wrote that the #MealForDoctor campaign had surpassed the organisers’ wildest expectations. The success of the fundraiser was also reflected in the Polish media, including online healthcare portals.
The Open Dialogue Foundation is one of eight European organisations whose comments and report on the state of the judiciary in EU Member States in the framework of the EU Justice Scoreboard 2020 initiative have been adopted and published by the European Commission. Our study was prepared together with the ‘Themis’ Association of Judges and concerned the state of the Polish justice system.
The #MealForDoctor campaign is proving the great power that lies in spontaneous initiatives and the generosity of the Polish people. Even in our most optimistic scenarios, we did not expect that, in less than a week, we would collect more than PLN 500,000 and provide support to almost 500 restaurants – and, as a consequence, the same help to medical doctors themselves. Your participation in the campaign and the trust you have placed in our team – which gave you no guarantees that the initiative would succeed – are extremely encouraging.
There has been great success for the action organised by the Open Dialogue Foundation and Niskie Składki (Low Contributions) and Spontaniczny Sztab Obywatelski (Spontaneous Civic Staff) associations with the support of Patryk Wachowiec from the FOR (Civil Development Forum) Foundation. In the face of the epidemic in Poland, we have raised PLN 500,763 for meals for the health care workers who are tirelessly fighting the spread of coronavirus and helping those infected.
Although most of the COVID-19 cases in Poland have been recorded in Warsaw, restaurateurs from all over the country have decided to join the #MealForDoctor campaign and support local hospital workers with meals.
The Open Dialogue Foundation, the Low Contributions Association, Spontaneous Civic Campaign Headquarters and Civil Development Forum have launched an online fundraiser for meals for Polish healthcare workers, who are now spending even more time at work due to the coronavirus epidemic, leading Polish media reported.
“Poland is fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The number of people who have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 is growing rapidly. There are also fatalities. An epidemic emergency has broken out across the country, and medical personnel are working tirelessly. It turns out that Poles want to support the people fighting for our lives and taking care of us.” Onet.pl announced the launch of the fundraising campaign #MealForADoctor (Pol. #PosiłekDlaLekarza), whose originators want to help doctors, nurses and ambulance crews by offering them free meals from local catering outlets.
“‘Meal for a Doctor’ is one of the campaigns aiming to support healthcare workers in hospitals and health centres,” Radio Zet reports.“Restaurants and catering establishments from all over the country have already declared that they will provide meals to medical staff for free. Each of us can support them in implementing this idea. We look at what the ‘Meal for a Doctor’ campaign is about, who is taking part in it and how you can join in.”
“‘Due to the coronavirus epidemic, health professionals have a lot of work to do. Let’s help them by paying for meals that they can order for free,’ the organisers of the action ‘Meal for the Doctor’ said in an appeal,”we read on Interia.pl.
Less than a day after the launch of the spontaneous action aimed at supporting Polish healthcare workers during the coronavirus epidemic. Rzeczpospolita has already covered this topic. The daily magazine reported that 45,000 zlotys have already been collected for meals for doctors.
“Doctors, nurses, ambulance crews. During the epidemic, all healthcare workers can count on a free meal from restaurants taking part in the actions #MealForADoctor (Pol. #PosiłekDlaLekarza) and #GastronomyIsHelping (Pol. #GastroPomaga),” reports TVN24, pointing out that although the two initiatives are organised by different people, their goal is the same – to help those “at the forefront of the fight against the disease”.
The coronavirus epidemic is affecting all areas of our lives. However, it is most affecting health care, which is at the forefront of the fight against the disease. Doctors and medical staff are currently working at their best, often at the expense of their families and friends. It is primarily on their commitment that our ability to quickly suppress the epidemic will depend. Those hospitalised, and their loved ones, are also in a difficult situation, and are putting their hopes in the health service.
In its letter to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the Open Dialogue Foundation, along with other civil society organisations, appeals to the Polish authorities for aid for refugees and, thus, fulfil their international obligations.
On February 6-7, 2020, a delegation of the Open Dialogue Foundation went on a two-days mission to Rome with the aim to relaunch the draft bill for an Italian Magnitsky Law, following a series of events in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate on the matter
We have recently learned of an event held in the European Parliament on January 23rd, 2020, organised by the “EU Today” website. The event’s title, “NGOs: between public good and bad governance”, would suggest the event covered an interesting and important topic, the functioning of NGOs in the EU. Unfortunately, as we’ve learned from one of the unlucky participants of the event, this title was just disguise for another action by “EU Today” founder, former UKIP employee, far-right racist and Holocaust denier, Gary Cartwright, aiming to discredit ODF and our work, specifically in Kazakhstan.
The 2020 Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), held on 27-31 January 2020 in Strasbourg, was dominated by two topics: the returning of voting rights to Russia (which ODF strongly campaigned against), which was suspended following its annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine, and the worsening situation in regard to the rule of law in Poland.
Despite the fact that we do not deal directly with issues related to religious freedom, we consider it to be one of the fundamental human rights. That is why we supported activists from non-governmental organisations, associated in the American group called International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable, which sent a letter to the Australian Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on the adoption of legislation comparable to the Global Magnitsky Act.
As is by now tradition for us, we were proud to be present during the 2020 Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, held on 27-31 January 2020 in Strasbourg, France. Our delegation consisted of ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska, Kazakhstani activist from the ‘Qaharman’ human rights movement Dana Zhanay and Polish persecuted judge Dominik Czeszkiewicz from the Suwałki District Court.
On December 18-19, 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation’s team, together with human rights defenders from Moldova, conducted very constructive meetings in the European Parliament in plenary session in Strasbourg. The delegation consisted of Ana Ursachi, attorney prosecuted for political reasons, Stefan Gligor, co-founder and Justice and Advocacy Program Director at the Center for Policies and Reforms, Stella Juntuan, activist and former member of the Moldovan parliament, Grigore Petrenco, political refugee in Germany and leader of the Red Bloc opposition party, and was led by our colleague Martin Mycielski, Public Affairs Director at ODF.
Non-governmental organisations (including the Open Dialogue Foundation) and academics specialising in issues related to the rule of law and the protection of human rights, sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, in which they call for immediate steps to stop the rapidly growing legal chaos in Poland, including prompt submission in the European Court of Justice, of an application for interim measures in Case C-791/19 Commission v Poland, pending before the Court of Justice. The full content of the letter is presented below.
On Thursday, 12 December 2019, the European Parliament held a conference entitled „The Law and Justice Campaign against the Polish Judiciary”, organised by the Renew Europe group and the Open Dialogue Foundation. The event found reverberation in the Polish media, both pro-government and independent.
On 11 December 2019 in Kyiv, within the framework of the IV National Human Rights Non-Conference, a discussion was held on the topic: “Are there any threats to Ukraine from China and how can they be minimised?”. The event was organised by the Open Dialogue Foundation in collaboration with the Ukrainian Free Hong Kong Centre, the Qaharman Human Rights Initiative (Kazakhstan) and the Human Rights Agenda. The discussion was moderated by human rights defender Maksym Sytnikov (Open Dialogue Foundation).
On 10 December 2019, in Kyiv, a discussion was held on the topic: “How to protect political refugees from illegal extraditions and misuse of interstate legal assistance?”. The event was held as part of the 4th National Human Rights Non-Conference. The Open Dialogue Foundation, the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation, the Kharkov Institute of Social Studies, and the Human Rights Agenda Coalition were among the organisers of the event.
On 26 November 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) hosted a European Parliament breakfast under the title “Ukrainian Hostages of the Kremlin: How to Release Them All?”. The event was organised upon the initiative of the MEPs Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe; Lithuania), Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Julie Ward (S&D; UK).
On November 29, 2019, the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) met in Strasbourg to discuss, among other items, the INTERPOL reform and extradition proceedings. A delegation of ODF, represented by Lyudmyla Kozlovska and Ana Ursachi, Moldovan lawyer and human rights defender, arrived at Palais de l’Europe to support the debate.
On 22 November 2019, Foundation representatives took part in the workshop ‘Addressing Intolerant Discourse, Hate Speech and Hate Crimes in the Visegrád Group’ in Prague. The aim of the meeting was to exchange experiences and views regarding combating hate speech in the countries of the Visegrád Group.
Over the past years, China has increased its presence in Kazakhstan, thus making their economic and political relations more robust. Importantly, human rights and the survival of civil society are at stake, as Kazakhstani activists are afraid of the growing dependence onChina, a country which has been often perceived as a bearer of abuse and […]
With the utmost concern we learned about the decision of the President of the Kraków District Court, Dagmara Pawełczyk-Woicka, dated 14 November 2019, who refused Judge Dariusz Mazur to conduct training for attorneys and undertake any additional activities until the end of 2019.
Open Dialogue Foundation and the Italian Federation for Human Rights are pleased to invite you to an event co-hosted by MEPs Nacho Sanchez Amor (S&D; Spain) and Niklas Nienaß (Greens/EFA; Germany).
Iskander Yerimbetov, Kazakhstani political prisoner and the brother of political refugee Botagoz Jardemalie, has been suffering from critical health condition in a Kazakhstani detention facility. His lawyers and family members reported that his health has deteriorated to a critical state.
We defend human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We stepped on the toes of many authoritarian and hybrid regimes which currently conduct targeted propaganda and disinformation campaigns against us. Would you like to form your own opinion? Find out what we have done so far.
Soon after ODF’s press conference on 10 October 2019, the CMWP published an appeal on its website, calling for “all journalists and Internet users to act prudently and reliably, and not to get emotional when reporting the causes, course and content of the press conference”.
During a press conference on 11 October 2019, representatives and proxies of ODF presented 20 lawsuits filed against pro-government politicians, journalists, activists and media organisations in connection with a “mass propaganda campaign” they were supposed to launch against the Foundation.
On 10 October 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation filed nearly twenty of lawsuits against politicians representing the Law and Justice party and their Public Relations representatives. All these claims were presented by the ODF yesterday at a press conference.
Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director who spent five years detained in a Russian prison, and Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, who was expelled from Poland by the Law and Justice government, met in Strasburg with French President Emmanuel Macron. An account of the visi
On 1 October, Oleg Sentsov, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialog Foundation and Oleksandra Romantsova from the Centre for Civil Liberties (CCL) met President Emmanuel Macron at the seat of the Permanent Representation of France to the Council of Europe. The event itself has been broadly discussed by both French and international media.
Due to the intensification of attacks on judges and prosecutors belonging to the Association of Polish Independent Prosecutors, Lex Super Omnia, we held a discussion on their current situation on 26 September 2019.
Crimean film director, Maidan activist, Ukrainian patriot and one of the bravest prisoners of the Kremlin, Oleg Sentsov has recently regained his freedom. We – along with many others – had solicited for his release for the five years he spent in Russia under arrest and in prison.
Oleg Sentsov, former political prisoner gave his first speech abroad, in Berlin, after being released from Russian prison on September 7. To this purpose, on September 26, Frank Schwabe MP and Manuel Sarazzin MP welcomed Sentsov and our delegation to a parliamentary event at the Bundestag.
On September 27, 2019, Oleg Sentsov thanked the Poles and those who from the very beginning defended not only him, but all Ukrainians imprisoned in Russia and its occupied territories.
The Open Dialogue Foundation is proud to find itself among civic organisations from across Europe, urging EU leaders to put civic space and civil dialogue high on the EU agenda.
On Wednesday 18 September, the Italian Federation for Human Rights and the Open Dialogue Foundation co-organised a side event entitled “Suppressing Civil Society in China: Role Model for OSCE Authoritarian Members?”
Judges Waldemar Żurek, Piotr Gąciarek and Dariusz Mazur, as well as prosecutor Krzysztof Parchimowicz, will participate in the event hosted by the Open Dialogue Foundation on 26 September, 2019, as part of OSCE’s conference on human rights.
In light of the statement by Mr Usen Suleimen on 16 September 2019 during Working Session 1, attempting to dismiss the serious human rights violations in Kazakhstan by defaming our foundation, we would like to briefly reply to Mr Suleimen’s deeply offensive accusations.
During the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, ODF will be in Warsaw with a delegation of human rights defenders and activists. The first event will take place on Wednesday 18 at 8:15 in Meeting Room 1.
It was with deep sorrow and regret that we received the news of the death of Bogusław Stanisławski – our friend, a great man, Board member of the Open Dialogue Foundation in the years 2014-2018.
On 29 August 2019, we filed a request to exclude the Head of the Customs and Tax Office in Lodz (Pol. Urząd Celno-Skarbowy w Łodzi) due to his violation of Article 121 §1 of the Act of 29 August 1997, Tax Ordinance (Journal of Laws of 2019, item 900, as amended).
The Voivodeship Administrative Court revoked the decision to refuse Lyudmyla Kozlovska a long-term residence permit in Poland considering that the conclusions drawn by the Internal Security Agency were not rationally based on the evidence they had gathered – Polsat News reports, citing Gazeta Prawna
A Provincial Administrative Court has found that the Internal Security Agency’s conclusions regarding the president of the Open Dialogue Foundation, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, are not based on the evidence presented by the agency.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court ruled that the conclusions drawn by the agency were not rationally derived from the evidence it has gathered.
The head of the Open Dialogue Foundation has won her second battle against the Law and Justice ruling party. The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw rejected the decision which denied her the residence permit in Poland.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw has reversed the decisions taken by the Mazovian Voivode and the Head of the Office for Foreigners, refusing to grant Lyudmyla Kozlovska a long-term permit to stay in Poland.
The adoption of the so-called “Magnitsky Act”, in Italy and at the European Union level, and the possible developments of its implementation have been discussed at a conference recently hosted by the Chamber of Deputies.
On July 24, in Rome, ODF and FIDU organised an event under the title “Human Rights protection and sanctions: towards a Global Magnitsky Act”. The event took place at the conference room of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament and was hosted by Deputy Lia Quartapelle (Democratic Party).
On July 24, in Rome, ODF and FIDU organised an event under the title “Human Rights protection and sanctions: towards a Global Magnitsky Act”. The event took place at the conference room of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament and was hosted by Deputy Lia Quartapelle (Democratic Party).
On July 4th, in occasion of the 28th OSCE PA Annual Session, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) organised a side-event on post-elections scenarios in Ukraine, Moldova and Kazakhstan at the premises of the European Convention Centre in Luxembourg. Th
Seventeen US senators wrote a letter of concern to Kazakh President Tokayev calling for the release of political prisoner Iskander Yerimbetov. The July 29 letter is a bipartisan initiative by senators Marco Rubio and Robert Menendez, with other signatories including Bernie Sanders and Tim Kaine.
On June 25, 2019, upon the initiative of PACE Member Roberto Rampi (Italy; SOC), the Open Dialogue Foundation and the Italian Federation for Human Rights hosted the side-event “Post-elections scenarios in Ukraine, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Between political uncertainty and regime consolidation”.
On 17 July we received a notification from the District Prosecutor’s Office of Łódź-Bałuty in Łódź about the initiation of an investigation into the infringement of tax secrecy and abuse of power to the detriment of the Open Dialogue Foundation and our related company Silk Road Biuro on 5 July 2019.
The audit of the books of account at the Open Dialogue Foundation, requested by Minister Mariusz Kamiński, lasted for over a year. Currently, the case is being looked into by the prosecutor’s office.
Upon the initiative of Italian Deputy Lia Quartapelle Procopio, the Italian Federation for Human Rights and ODF invite you to attend the international seminar “International protection of human rights and individual responsibility: Towards an Italian and European Magnitsky legislation”
Human rights groups have called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to veto a disastrously ill-considered bill introducing chemical castration for sex offenders. They see the bill as a cheap populist move aimed at winning votes in the coming parliamentary elections.
Arbitrary application of anti-terrorism laws and criminalization of using an i-message application (Bylock).
Dear Mr. President, We are appealing to you with a request to use your veto power over bill 6449 on increasing the responsibility for sexual crimes against minors that was adopted on the last day of the work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
We fully sympathise with civic activist Tomasz Sikora, member of Citizens of Poland [Polish: Obywatele RP] movement, who, on 3 July 2019, was illegally sentenced to two months of community service by the District Court in Warsaw (5th Criminal Division).
The ODF kicked off the summer season with a visit to Washington D.C. between the 12th and the 14th of June 2019. An ODF delegation joined Jared Genser (with his team) and Zhamilya Yerimbetova for a three-day mission in the capital.
Last week – not for the first time, and probably not the last – I have been met by a wave of hatred from the right-wing community. All because we decided, together with the delegation of the Open Dialogue Foundation, to hold a series of meetings in Washington, which, by accident, overlapped with the visit of President Duda.
On June 12 and 13, in Brussels, the 2019 edition of the Civil Society Days event took place at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). This event represents the cooperation between the EESC and the members of the Liaison Group representing European civil society organisations and networks
On June 12 and 13, in Brussels, the 2019 edition of the Civil Society Days event took place at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). This event represents the cooperation between the EESC and the members of the Liaison Group representing European civil society organisations and networks
On the occasion of the 28th OSCE PA Annual Session, ODF and FIDU are pleased to invite you to a side-event on post-elections scenarios in Ukraine, Moldova and Kazakhstan, on Thursday, 4 July 2019, from 12:30 to 14.30, room E (Level 1), at the premises of the European Convention Centre in Luxembourg.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs argues that they were against using the discussion about the Open Dialogue Foundation in Poland to deal with the Moldovan opposition.
The fiscal inspection of ODF’s activity was requested by the then head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, W. Waszczykowski. The case was transferred to the Customs and Tax Office in Łódź, which had previously been headed by Tomasz Waszczykowski, the brother of the head of the ministry of diplomacy
![DGP part 1: Kozlovska’s case. State trash lab [DGP investigations]](http://en.odfoundation.eu/content/uploads/i/articles/9335_mid.jpg)
DGP has a full report from the Moldovan Investigation Committee on the Open Dialogue Foundation. The document indicates that Poland might have cooperated on the ODF case with the special services in that country controlled by the oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc.
After nearly a one year of battle, the details of the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation were deleted from the Schengen Information System. Polish authorities were forced to remove Lyudmyla Kozlovska’s record.
Having been granted a long-term resident’s EU card, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, the head of the Open Dialogue Foundation, is no longer included in the Schengen Information System, according to DGP information.
In connection with the meetings of the Parliamentary Committees for Special Services and the EU of 25 April 2019 at which the issue of our organisation, ODF, was raised, as well as numerous media attacks by Law and Justice politicians, we would like to refer to the allegations made against us.
The Regional Administrative Court has considered the documents substantiating the decision on Lyudmyla Kozlovska’s expulsion from Poland as “overgeneralised” and demanded her case be reconsidered by the Office for Foreigners.
The third seminar of the Commission “Truth, Justice and Reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine, in association with the European Union”, which took place from June 2 to 5, 2019, in the city of Caen, brought together researchers and representatives of civil society from Ukraine, Russia and EU.
We, the Ukrainian human rights and civil society organizations, have been protecting Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea and Donbas for the past six years.
On 10 June 2019, the portal Grani.ru published an article on the seminar of the Commission “Truth, justice and reconciliation between Russia, Ukraine and the EU”, which took place at the beginning of the month in the French city of Caen in Normandy.
The participants of the third seminar “Truth, justice and reconciliation between Russia, Ukraine and the EU”, which took place on June 2-5 in Caen, Normandy, issued a declaration calling on Russia to immediately stop the war with Ukraine and release all political prisoners.
On 19.03.2019, Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned as Kazakhstan’s President. As prescribed by law, he was succeeded by the head of the upper chamber of Parliament – the Senate – Kasym-Jomart Tokayev. On 09.04.2019, Tokayev announced snap presidential elections to take place on 09.06.2019. Campaigning
On the occasion of snap Presidential election in Kazakhstan announced for June 9, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) has listed a set of recommendations on the human rights record in Kazakhstan for the EU, OSCE PA and foreign missions on the ground.
On 28 May 2019, Michael Weiss published an article in Daily Beast “about the way far-right populists in Europe (…) suck up to Russia.” Weiss focused on the use of the Fourth Estate – the media – that has become a tool in populists’ hands making it “a one-party propaganda sheet.”
The study constitutes part of observations made in the period 16–19 March 2019 within the framework of a human rights observation mission, during meetings with representatives of Ukrainian civil society, expert circles, Ukrainian authorities and diplomats accredited in Ukraine.
On April 21, 2019, an article, written by Carlos Alba and Jordan Ryan, was published in the Scottish edition of the Sunday Times newspaper under various titles (1, 2, 3, as well as in print with the title “British firms ‘linked to dirty money used against Putin opponents’”).
On Thursday 28 March, 2019, ODF, FIDU, the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) and the EU–Russian Expert Group on Combating Transborder Corruption organised an international conference on the application of the Magnitsky law, at the premises of the Italian Senate.
On Thursday 28 March, 2019, FIDU, ODF, the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) and the EU–Russian Expert Group on Combating Transborder Corruption organised an international conference on the application of the Magnitsky law, at the premises of the Italian Senate.
Submission to the European Commission for consideration at the EU-Moldova Human Rights Dialogue
On the occasion of the PACE Spring session 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) organised a side-event on the Magnitsky legislation at the premises of the Council of Europe, Palais.
On the occasion of the PACE Spring session 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) organised a side-event on the Magnitsky legislation at the premises of the Council of Europe, Palais.
The authors of a recent article in The Sunday Times link the Open Dialogue Foundation to the practice of money laundering. The article, which was widely commented on in Poland, reproduces information from August 2018, and its authors are not employees of the respectable newspaper.
Last week, the Open Dialogue Foundation filed the notification to the Warsaw District Prosecutor on the suspicion of commiting a crime concerning the disclosure of confidential tax data on the injury of the ODF and the Silk Road Bureau of Analysis and Information LLC partially funding the ODF.
The Open Dialogue Foundation and the Italian Federation for Human Rights are pleased to invite you to a side-event on the application of the Magnitsky law, which will be held on Tuesday, 9 April 2019, from 13.00 to 14.00, room 14 (ground floor), at the premises of the Council of Europe, Palais.
ODF joins over 40 human rights organizations in urging the U.S. Congress to increase funding for enforcing the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Upon the initiative of Italian Senator Roberto Rampi, the Italian Federation for Human Rights, Open Dialogue Foundation, the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty and the EU-Russian Expert Group on Combating Transborder Corruption are pleased to invite you to an event.
The ODF participated in a human rights observatory mission in Ukraine which took part within a period of 16-19.03.2019. It included a wide range of meetings with the representatives of the Ukrainian civil society, expert environment, authorities and the diplomats accredited in this country.
The ODF participated in a human rights observatory mission in Ukraine which took part within a period of 16-19.03.2019. It included a wide range of meetings with the representatives of the Ukrainian civil society, expert environment, authorities and the diplomats accredited in this country.
Following a debate during the Plenary session of March 14, the European Parliament voted on a resolution taking stock of the human rights situation in Kazakhstan, urging national authorities to “put an end to human rights abuses and all forms of political repression”.
On 18 March 2019, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a round table took place on the subject of “Persecution and violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.”
On 18 March 2019, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a round table took place on the subject of “Persecution and violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.”
In December 2018 the United Nations has published its World Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. The report analyzes the challenges faced by human rights defending NGOs and activists around the world.
ODF is pleased to announce that our President, Ukrainian human rights activist Lyudmyla Kozlovska, exiled from the EU by Polish authorities back in August 2018 to international criticism, has today received a 5-year residence permit in Belgium.
On 1 March 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation received a response to a request for public information regarding contacts between Polish diplomats and their Moldovan counterparts.
In the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the consideration of the first reading of a draft law ‘On Legal Practice and Advocacy’ No. 9055 is scheduled for 28 February.
The European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee has recently released a report it has commissioned, entitled “Misuse of Interpol’s Red Notices and impact on human rights – recent developments”. Yesterday, the study was officially presented at the subcommittee’s meeting.
Following the coming to power of Jarosław Kaczyński’s Law and Justice party and its president Andrzej Duda in 2015, the state of the rule of law and democracy in Poland steadily deteriorated, as universally acknowledged by the international community, including the first ever… (read more)
On 14 February 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jacek Czaputowicz, to disclose public information on cooperation with the Moldovan authorities.
During the 2019 Winter Session, held between January 21st and 25th, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) assessed the latest developments on the human rights situation in Moldova.
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
A declassified report by the parliamentary committee charged with investigating the “circumstances of Open Dialogue’s interference into Moldova’s internal affairs” claims that the Open Dialogue Foundation has been financed by sources including money stolen from Moldovan banks
The Open Dialogue Foundation is among the organisations who joined the appeal to support the adoption of a Global Magnitsky Act at the EU level.
Representatives of the governments of all 28 EU countries gathered in the Hague in order to discuss the Netherlands’ proposal to adopt, within the EU, of a joint legal mechanism that would allow the imposition of personal sanctions on persons involved in gross violations of human rights.
As the European Union calls out state capture in Moldova, the authorities in Chișinău are rewriting the rules of the game for civil society and opposition politics.
With regard to the information published in the press on Friday, 23 November 2018, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) wishes to clarify and deny the inaccuracies, rumours and slander.
The Customs and Tax Office (Urząd Celno-Skarbowy, UCS) in Łódź has calculated that the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) is to pay over PLN 700,000 of unpaid tax. This morning, the Internal Security Agency announced the initiation of an investigation into the Foundation.
On 22 November 2018, our President Lyudmyla Kozlovska had the honour to speak in the UK House of Commons, at a panel debate on the rule of law in Poland and Hungary organised by the Foreign Policy Centre. Below is a transcript of her opening statement.
On October 4th, 2018, the ruling Moldovan Democratic Party established a parliamentary commission to investigate “Open Dialogue Foundation’s and ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska’s interference in the domestic affairs of the Republic of Moldova as well as it’s funding of opposition parties”.
Human rights violations and politically motivated persecution continue in Kazakhstan. It is high time the EU raised its voice in opposition!
Statement of the Human Rights Agenda platform concerning the persecution of lawyers who work with politically motivated cases in occupied Crimea.
The Open Dialogue Foundation was one of the first to join the Statement of the Coalition for the Protection of Civil Society with a demand that the management of the Kherson police, General Prosecutor of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko, and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov be dismissed from their posts.
The press service of the parliament of Moldova has distributed a release about the start of the work of a commission of inquest into “interference by the Open Dialogue Foundation and its founder Lyudmyla Kozlovska in the internal affairs of Moldova”.
Between Monday 8 and Thursday 11 October 2018, a delegation of the ODF attended the Fourth part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.
Between Monday 8 and Thursday 11 October 2018, a delegation of the ODF attended the Fourth part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.
On October 10, 2018 it was announced in the media, starting with the website of a Ukrainian civic organisation/media outlet “Stop Corruption”, that the Department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the Zakarpattya region city of Uzhhorod has initiated an investigation into ODF President.
A delegation of the Open Dialogue Foundation composed of its President Lyudmyla Kozlovska, Head of the Foundation Board Bartosz Kramek and its Public Affairs Director Marcin Mycielski have just returned to Brussels after a three-day visit to London where they were invited and hosted by KOD UK.
Populists and nationalism are on the rise in many European countries. Sadly, my second homeland, Poland is not an exception but a growing concern for its citizens, residents and the international community.
A delegation of the Open Dialogue Foundation composed of its President Lyudmyla Kozlovska, Head of the Foundation Board Bartosz Kramek and its Public Affairs Director Marcin Mycielski have just returned to Brussels after a three-day visit to London where they were invited and hosted by KOD UK.
The President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, Mrs Lyudmyla Kozlovska, was invited to take part in two side-events, taking place within the Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), in Strasbourg, between Monday 8 and Wednesday 10 October 2018.
Between Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 September 2018, the ODF conducted an advocacy mission in Warsaw at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, a forum aimed at providing a platform for dialogue between NGOs and the representatives of OSCE Member States.
Less than a month after Lyudmyla Kozlovska’s expulsion by the Law and Justice government in retaliation for her husband’s (Bartosz Kramek) opposition activity, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation returned to the territory of the European Union.
Less than a month after Lyudmyla Kozlovska’s expulsion by the Law and Justice government in retaliation for her husband’s (Bartosz Kramek) opposition activity, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation returned to the territory of the European Union. German parliamentarians invited her to a hearing.
A human rights monitoring mission took place in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, from 26 to 28 July 2018. The mission was led by Mr Antonio Stango, President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights, and Ms Paola Gaffurini, Advocacy Officer for the Open Dialog Foundation.
The ODF and the Italian Federation for Human Rights, with the valued support of the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty, are pleased to announce the holding of the third event concerning the persecution of lawyers and international instruments for their protection.
In the Council of Europe headquarters, the Open Dialog Foundation organized a debate devoted to the situation of the rule of law and civil society in Poland. The event was attended by Belgian parliamentarian Petra De Sutter who, after the debate, shared her thoughts and reflections on her website.
Success of Ukrainian NGOs. Once again, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has prevented the Russian delegation from returning to its ranks. This decision was appealed for by 40 Ukrainian NGOs and the Open Dialogue Foundation.
On December 22, Mr Erasmo Palazzotto, Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, signed an appeal addressed to the Secretary General of INTERPOL and to the Chairperson of the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
Following its firm statement in defence of the independence of the judiciary, and thus, against violation of the Constitution and the rule of law in Poland, on 21 July 2017, ODF became the object of unprecedented attacks by the Polish governmental administration and broader right-wing circles.
On 24 October 2017, the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation Lyudmyla Kozlovska spoke in Hromadske TV about how the international system for the exchange of information on criminals had become a repressive mechanism and how authoritarian states use the Interpol to their advantage.
The Open Dialog Foundation, in partnership with Destination Justice held a debate “Reform of the INTERPOL: don’t let it be stopped halfway” in Warsaw on 15 September 2017, at the premises of the National Stadium (PGE Narodowy) on the occasion of the OSCE HDIM2017.
In early July 2017, the presidential draft laws No. 6674 and No. 6675 were registered in the Parliament of Ukraine. The draft laws were elaborated allegedly to replace the scandalous amendments to the anti-corruption legislation obliging the anti-corruption activists to annually file personal asset
Recent abuses of INTERPOL by non-democratic states, such as the Red Notice issued by Turkey to detain Mr Doğan Akhanlı in Spain and other relevant cases in Russia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, show why the reforms introduced by INTERPOL should be implemented decisively and without delay
„In an interview, a Moldovan oligarch – monopolist Vladimir Plahotniuc called Petro Poroshenko his close friend. The war relations between the Ukrainian and Moldovan oligarchs have a symbolic context in the sense of a similar trajectory of both states” writes Victoria Voytsitska, a Ukrainian deputy.
In Ukraine, there has been a dangerous tendency to deviate from the Maidan slogan “Human rights above all”. This tendency was the subject of the press conference entitled “Three Years After Maidan: Alarm Bells For Human Rights”, held by Human Rights Agenda on 18 July, 2017, at the Ukrainian CMC.
On Tuesday, 27 June, 2017 during the Summer plenary session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), the Open Dialog Foundation organized a thematic discussion about “Political Persecution in Ukraine and Moldova. How political corruption undermines reformers’ efforts”.
The recent political, reform agenda, human rights and media freedom situation in Moldova were debated today in the European Parliament in Brussels at a conference organised by Members Anna Fotyga, Ramona Nicole Mănescu, Renate Weber and Rebecca Harms in co-operation with the Open Dialog Foundation.
On Wednesday, 26 April, 2017, experts, politicians, NGOs and victims of abusive Red Notices gathered at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to assess current improvements and challenges of INTERPOL’s system and provide recommendations on reforms of INTERPOL.
Mid-December 2016 was a period of intense work on the support of the civil society in Moldova. With a group of its prominent representatives we held series of high-level meetings in the EP as well as PACE to discuss the country’s political and human rights problems.
In the period between 4 July, 2016 and 8 July, 2016, the Open Dialog Foundation and the ‘European Exchange’ organised the second phase of the study visit of Ukrainian students from Kharkov, Odessa and Dnieper to Brussels and Berlin.
The Open Dialog Foundation released a statement on May 9 regarding the involvement of Russian officials in the ‘Magnitsky list’ who are also involved in other politically motivated criminal proceedings in Russia – the Red Notice Law Journal informed.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, held a hearing in Rome on 18 May 2016, dedicated to the topic of the misuse of Interpol by non-democratic states and the need for more stringent legal safeguards.
On April 20, the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation gave an interview to Danylo Janevsky, who runs the LifeKod program. The topic of the conversation was the world premiere of the virtual museum of Chernobyl, which will take place this Tuesday at the Museum of the History of Kyiv.
We wish to draw your attention to the alarming fact of the prosecution of the relative of a Kazakh oppositionist in a case which is overtly characterised by political context.
The Open Dialog Foundation was invited, as one of the external experts, along with representatives from Fair Trials International, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Centre for Peace Studies and Sherpa Organisation, to take part in the first meeting of the Working Group on the Processing of Information (GTI).
The portal gazeta.pl reported on a protest by refugees and activists from Kazakhstan, which took place in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Warsaw on Thursday afternoon.
Together with Mark Feygin, Alma Shalabayeva and Salim Shalabayev, we were protesting in front of the Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Warsaw in defence of political prisoners.
Today, all Ukrainian society is waiting for the adoption of the lustration bill, however many parliamentarians do everything to prevent it. One of the ideas proposed by the deputy of the Party of Regions faction, Anna Herman, is to talk about lustration through recourse to international bodies.
The representative of the Open Dialogue Foundation Petro Okhotin, who has currently been staying in Voronezh to observe the trial of an Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, made a comment on her case at Hromadske TV.
In the interview hosted by the journalist of Channel 24 Oltha Chytaylo, the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation L. Kozlovska spoke about the help of the Ukrainian army, problems with the release of prisoners of war and the need for further rehabilitation of those who regained their freedom.
The Internet portal ngo.pl publishes a report on the event organised by the Open Dialog Foundation on the occasion of 74th birthday of the Kazakhstan president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has been ruling the country with an iron fist for 20 years.
On 1 April 2014, Lyudmyla Kozlovska and the Director of the Centre for European Initiatives in Estonia Jevgeni Krištafovitš, spoke in Hromadske TV on lustration in European states, in particular in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, and what lesson Ukraine could learn from this experience.
Thanks to the Open Dialogue Foundation, anyone willing to join the Ukrainian civil society can do so. The NGO.pl portal has published 4 points describing how the protesters at EuroMaidan can be helped through the Foundation.
– Let’s send a strong signal from Warsaw that we support the peaceful protests of Ukrainians, show our solidarity with them, let’s meet today at 17 on The Constitution Square – say the organizers of the manifestation.
Protesters in Kyiv need medicines, dressing materials and cosmetics. “In Warsaw, the Open Dialogue Foundation is organizing a collection of pharmaceuticals, and on Thursday, on the Constitution Square, it will organize a demonstration of solidarity with the protesters.
Ukrainians who protest at Majdan are particularly in need of common cold medicine, analgesics, and drugs supporting digestive system. During the manifestations many people were injured, so it is worth bringing bandages and various types of dressing materials – we read on the NaszeMiasto portal.
The group includes students, journalists, lawyers and one unemployed. Poles and Ukrainians. Nine volunteers set off from Warsaw to Kyiv on Saturday. They want to help Ukrainians. The care, at least the organizational one, was taken over by the Open Dialogue Foundation.
Ukrainian media, such as RIA News and UNIAN, reported the campaign ‘A hundred days of lustration’organised in the streets of Kyiv by the Open Dialogue Foundation, and covered, inter alia, by Hromadske TV
“Berkut – the Ukrainian militia units, adds another dark chapter to its history, with their goals becoming doctors. “The protagonist of Onet reporters, who are in Ukraine, has been the victim of Berkut’s attack. In a video report he tells us that the gunshot fired at him is the one to shoot to anima
