On 8-9 JUNE 2021 an expert discussion on the Protection of Migrants and Refugees under the European Convention on Human Rights in Croatia was held online, organised in co-operation with the Office of the Agent of the Republic of Croatia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Justice Academy of Croatia. It brought together Croatian administrative judges, legal advisors, academics as well as their peers from the ECtHR with an aim to initiate a discussion and share knowledge, views and experiences, including good practices related to outstanding challenges existing in Croatia in respect of protection of migrants and refugees. The representative of the Office of the Secretary General's Special Representative on Migration and Refugees also addressed the event.
The event was opened by Stefica Staznik, Agent of the Republic of Croatia before the ECtHR and Mikhail Lobov, Head of Department for the Implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards at the Council of Europe.
The main focus of the discussion was the European human rights law standards pertaining to the prohibition of collective expulsion and non-refoulement, to the applicability and substantive and procedural safeguards in relation to respect of family and personal life, as well as to immigration detention and restrictions on freedom of movement.
The participants expressed their interest to continue the discussions in the future on the questions such as reasoning of decisions concerning asylum requests and the extradition process, as well as the proportionality test applied in relation to restriction of the relative rights under the European Convention of Human Rights.
The expert discussions draw on the agreement between the Croatian Government Agent to the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law to enhance their co-operation in order to further strengthen the capacity of domestic prosecutors and courts dealing with the human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The primary aim of this co-operation is to strengthen the Croatian prosecutors and judges’ knowledge and understanding of ECHR when applying it in concrete cases.