Friday 16 October 2020
09h30
Opening session
Welcome from the organisers and introduction to the Forum
Biljana Braithwaite, Western Balkans Programme Director, the AIRE Centre
Goran Miletić, Director for Europe, Civil Rights Defenders
Welcome from the Forum supporters
Hartmut Rank, Head of Rule of Law Programme South East Europe, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
10h00
The ECHR and the Pandemic – Rule of Law as the Lodestar of the Convention System
Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights
10h25
Upholding Human Rights in Times of a Public Health Crisis
Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
10h50
Break
11h15
Convention rights affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and by States’ responses to the
pandemic, including a discussion of the positive and negative obligations on States
Panel discussion
Moderators: Judge Tim Eicke and Biljana Braithwaite
Panellists: Judges and former judges of the European Court of Human Rights
Judge Jovan Ilievski: Positive obligations on States in relation to the right to life
Judge Ivana Jelić: Positive obligations on States in relation to the
prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment
Ledi Bianku (former Judge): The right to liberty and security and the right to freedom of movement
Judge Paul Lemmens: Overcoming challenges to the proper functioning of the judiciary during a pandemic
12h45
Break
14h00
Convention rights affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and by States’ responses to the pandemic, including a discussion of the positive and negative obligations on States (continuation)
Panel discussion
Moderator: President Robert Spano
Panellists: Judges of the European Court of Human Rights
Judge Darian Pavli: The right to private life and freedom of religion
Judge Anja Seibert-Fohr: Freedom of expression and assembly
Judge Ksenija Turković: The right to education, property, and free elections
Judge Tim Eicke: The principles of legality and proportionality
Judge Faris Vehabović: Derogations from the Convention in times of emergency
16h30
End of Day One
(Forum continues in regional city hubs until 17h00 with moderated discussion ‘Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on human rights protection in the countries of the region’)
Saturday 17 October 2020
09h30
Overview of the situation in the Western Balkans
Reporting back from the national working groups
Moderator: Krešimir Kamber, the Jurisconsult´s Directorate, European Court of Human Rights
10h50
Break
11h20
Future challenges in the protection of human rights – a discussion in light of relevant ECHR jurisprudence
Panel discussion
Moderator: Ledi Bianku, former Judge at the European Court of Human Rights and Associate Professor, University of Strasbourg Panellists: Judges and former judges of the European Court of Human Rights
Judge Ksenija Turković
Judge Paul Lemmens
Judge Ivana Jelić
Judge Anja Seibert-Fohr
Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska (former Judge)
12h30
Closing discussion
Conclusions from the Forum
President Robert Spano
Biljana Braithwaite
Goran Miletić