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Through litigation, advocacy, research, and technical assistance, the Open Society Justice Initiative promotes human rights and builds legal capacity for open societies.

Open Society Justice Initiative

Open Society Voices

May 15, 2013 | by Michelle Dellatorre, Maxim Ferschtman

The UN Human Rights Commission has found that a 2004 French ban on religious headcoverings at public schools breached a Sikh student’s right to religious freedom.

April 26, 2013 | by Jonathan Horowitz | 1

A ruling from the European Court of Human Rights fails to require government precision in restricting supposedly dangerous anti-democratic speech.

Litigation

UN Human Rights Committee
Status: Active

This case challenges the arbitrary killing of Ogulsapar Muradova, a journalist and human rights activist, who was tortured and died in custody in Turkmenistan in September 2006.

Domestic Courts
Status: Active

A group of Kenyan civil society organizations and victims of sexual and gender-based violence have brought a case to the Nairobi High Court against six Kenyan government officials demanding accountability.

European Court of Human Rights
Status: Active

Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer, died in pretrial detention after being denied essential medical care, in retaliation for exposing a $230m fraud involving senior Interior Ministry officials.