Program (click on the name for more info about speaker)
10th of December, 2013
09:00 – 10:00 Registration of participants
10:00 – 10:10 Welcome remarks: Urmas Reinsalu, Estonian Minister of Defence VIDEO!
10:10 – 11:20 VIDEO! Transcript! Freedom of Religion in Estonia and the European Union – Assessments and Orientations
The panel will commence with an introduction of the results of the “Freedom of Religion in Estonia” survey, which was conducted by the Estonian Institute of Human Rights and Turu-uuringute AS in 2013. In the course of the survey, the population was questioned (sample of 1,000) and 17 experts were interviewed (religious associations, nonprofits, representatives of media and state agencies, lawyers and theologians). The third part of the survey includes the assessments of the situation in Estonia related to freedom of religion by international organizations. And the fourth part presents proposals for state institutions.
The second half of the panel will deal with issues related to the freedom of religion in the European Union and emphasizing the freedom of religion in the EU’s foreign policies. One subject under discussion will be whether the EU considers it important to ensure freedom of religion in other countries (include in the Arab Spring countries), and if so, how important this is. Some of the topics under discussion result from the increased percentage of non-Christians in the EU member states and also on ever increasing secularization. The panel will examine these issues from the viewpoints of churches, lawyers and the framers of foreign policy.
| Introduction of the survey: |
Karin Reivart, Research Manager, Turu-uuringute AS Erik Salumäe, Vice Chairman of the Estonian Institute of Human Rights |
| Panelists: | Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan, Vice President of the Estonian Council of Churches Merilin Kiviorg, Faculties of Law at the University of Tartu and Oxford University and is currently a faculty member at the Oxford Royale Academy Mart Laanemäe, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, undersecretary |
| Moderator: | Mart Nutt, Chairman of Human Rights Group, The Parliament of Estonia |
11:20 – 11:35 Coffee Break
I panel
11:35 – 13:05 VIDEO! Transcript! Crimes against humanity and topical issues related to their prosecution
The panel will consider the challenges for the international community (UN and Rome Statute member states) related to prosecuting and bringing to justice the persons responsible for committing crimes against humanity – systematic or large-scale deprivation or restriction of human rights and freedoms, instigated or directed by a state, organisation or group, or killing, torture, rape, causing health damage, forced displacement, expulsion, subjection to prostitution, unfounded deprivation of liberty, or other abuse of civilians. It will focus on the legal, political and practical aspects of the development and implementation of international criminal law in relation to crimes against humanity.
The topics under discussion include the following: What can be done to bring the individuals wanted for committing crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to justice? What impact does the case-law of the ICTY/ICTR and ICC have on the development of international criminal and humanitarian law? What are the lessons that have been learned by the international community in prosecuting crimes against humanity?
| Panelists: | Vagn Joensen, the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda at the UN Cuno Jakob Tarfusser, Vice President of the International Criminal Court Tiina Intelmann, President of Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court Vuk Jeremić, the President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD.org) and an independent MP in Serbia’s National Assembly, ( 2007-2012) Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Urmas Paet, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| Moderator: | Pavel Gontšarov, a justice in the Criminal Chamber of the Tallinn Circuit Court |
13:05 – 13:55 Lunch
II panel
13:55 – 15:35 VIDEO! Transcript! Counter-terrorism, Surveillance and Human Rights
The panel will consider key current and future challenges related to human rights and the fight against terrorism. It will explore how to better combine effective counter-terrorist measures with the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including in fields related to contentious electronic surveillance programs and the use of new military methods for the pursuit of terrorist suspects. The panel includes viewpoints related to human rights, security and technology.
The topics under discussion include: What are the implications of fight against terrorism for human rights and rule of law? How should governments balance the employment of soft and hard counter-terrorism measures? How to give meaning to human rights in the context of rapidly developing technology and modern surveillance systems, which have raised many questions about the vague boundaries between privacy and security?
| Panelists: | Kalev H. Leetaru, expert in the field of information analysis Richard Barrett, Soufan Grupi senior vice president. From 2004 to 2012, he headed the United Nations Monitoring Team concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and was one of the founders of the UN’s structural unit for counter terrorism Vivian Loonela, team leader for international affairs of data protection at Directorate-General Justice of the European Commission. Dr Quirine Eijkman, the head of Political Affairs and Press Office at the Dutch section of Amnesty International and a Senior Researcher at Leiden University – Campus The Hague Mustafa Qadri, Pakistan researcher at Amnesty International |
| Moderator: | Riina Kionka, director of the Central Asia Department of the European External Action Service (EEAS) |
15:35 – 15:50 Coffee Break
III panel
15:50 – 17:30 VIDEO! Transcript! Challenges to open societies: views from the Middle East and Russia
The Arab Spring and citizen activization in the MENA region has been a single most important shift in the international arena in the 2010s – alike Perestroika and the following demise of the Soviet ideology had been twenty years before. The changes experienced by both regions have been liberating and yet controversial and complex. What are the challenges of transitions after the Arab Spring? Has twenty years of post-Soviet development produced freer and more opened societies along with several new electoral autocracies? What is the role of the international community in supporting „opening“ societies and preventing others from closing anew? This panel will discuss disturbing trends related to open societies, including new laws that affect the work of NGOs in the Middle East and Russia.
| Panelists: | Tatjana Lokšina, Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch’s Moscow office Artjom Troitski, Member of the board of Greenpeace Russia (Arctic 30) Mall Hellam, Open Estonian Foundation, Executive Director Ahmed Samih Farag, Andalus Institute Vytis Jurkonis, Freedom House, project manager and professor at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at the University of Vilnius Jeffrey England, National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) senior advisor in the Middle East and North Africa |
| Moderator: | Anna Sevortian, Director of the Human Rights Watch’s Moscow office from 2010 to 2013; Mason Fellow, Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School. |
17:30 – 17:40 Joint Statement: Secretary Madeleine K. Albright and the President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas H. Ilves. VIDEO! Transcript!
17:40 – 17:50 Conclusions
Vootele Hansen, Chairman of the Estonian Institute of Human Rights
18:00 – 20:00 Dinner, hosted by Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet
The dinner will be at the Swissôtel Tallinn (6th floor).
N.B! The organiser reserves the right to make changes in the programme and the presenters