The Republican Lawyers' Association (RAV), together with nine other civil rights organizations, will present the "Fundamental Rights Report 2024: On the State of Civil and Human Rights in Germany" this Wednesday. The presentation will take place on May 22, at 11:00 a.m. at the House for Democracy and Human Rights (Greifswalder Str. 4, 10405 Berlin), on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law. The report will be officially published on May 29, 2024.
The publication is considered an "alternative report on the protection of the constitution" and examines decisions made by parliaments, authorities, and courts, as well as by private companies. The focus of the 28th edition is the threat to fundamental rights posed by the rise of the radical and extreme right.
Berenice Böhlo, lawyer specializing in asylum and migration and a member of the RAVboard:
"Fundamental rights are already being trampled upon, even before the AfD has won a majority, which is a real possibility in this year's state elections. The Fundamental Rights Report shows that the fundamental right to asylum, in particular, which was enshrined in the Basic Law 75 years ago under the shadow of National Socialism, is under greater attack than ever before.".
"With the CEAS reform, EU states want to prevent migration, but this is impossible, both legally and practically. Instead, the new rules further brutalize the situation at the borders and along the route there, and the social climate is becoming increasingly coarse. The so-called payment card also excludes refugees. This is pure symbolic politics and will trigger many legal disputes. The Fundamental Rights Report 2024 exposes these attacks on the right to asylum and is therefore an indispensable tool in the fight to preserve fundamental rights."
Benjamin Derin, criminal defense lawyer, RAV member and co-editor of the Fundamental Rights Report:
"As social inequality increases, the threat of climate change grows, and the far right gains influence, fundamental and human rights are coming under ever greater pressure. Those who oppose all of this are often the very ones targeted: climate activists, anti-right-wing protests, social workers, and critical radio stations are being criminalized. Police powers, such as surveillance and detention, as in Bavaria, are being expanded. These are disastrous signals to the many who are committed to an open society and on whom so much depends right now."
Dr. Peer Stolle, lawyer and chairman of the board of the RAV:
“We are witnessing a worrying erosion of fundamental rights, including the legislative trend of criminalizing political expression and the increasing displacement of tenants due to owner occupancy notices. The Fundamental Rights Report also addresses long-standing problems: Women are still often denied the right to equal pay, and gender minorities face difficulties in exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to self-determination.”
The fundamental rights report not only denounces, but also explains, analyzes, and criticizes the situation in a way that is easily understandable even for laypeople. And it reminds politicians of their obligations: they must increase prisoners' wages, establish and ensure the availability of assisted suicide, and present an immediate action plan for the transport and building sectors to comply with the climate protection law.
Despite its criticism, the report also highlights positive developments and important successes, such as a successful strike, a ruling on the right to financial compensation for people whose fundamental rights have been significantly restricted, and new European complaint procedures against artificial intelligence. The fundamental rights report also looks to the future: For example, upcoming decisions regarding the personal rights of employees at corporations like Amazon and preventive detention by the police in Bavaria will be of particular interest.
Facts about the report:
- The book will be available from bookstores or from the publishers from May 29, 2024 .
- Review copies (also available as PDFs) for press purposes can be ordered via the Humanist Union (HU) (service@humanistische-union.de).
- Fundamental Rights Report 2024 – On the State of Civil and Human Rights in Germany. Edited by: Peter von Auer, Benjamin Derin, Andreas Engelmann, Rolf Gössner, Sarah Lincoln, Max Putzer, Rainer Rehak, Milad Schubart, Rosemarie Will and Michèle Winkler, Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt/M 2024, ISBN: 978-3-596-71084-3, 256 pages, 14.00 euros.
The Fundamental Rights Report 2024 is a joint project of: Humanist Union, united with the Gustav Heinemann Initiative • Federal Working Group of Critical Law Groups • International League for Human Rights • Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy • New Association of Judges • PRO ASYL • Republican Lawyers' Association • Association of Democratic Lawyers • Forum of Computer Scientists for Peace and Social Responsibility • Society for Civil Rights
The RAV as an organization:
The Republican Lawyers' Association (RAV) was founded in 1979. Republicans were and are radical democrats who insist on the primacy of human and civil rights over the interests of state and economic institutions and who always strive for more democracy than has currently been achieved. For the legal profession, this means understanding law as a weapon, using it for the weak against oppressive power structures.
The RAV campaigns in particular against the tightening of criminal and criminal procedure law, against police violence and the expansion of police powers, and against racist asylum and immigration law. It supports persecuted foreign colleagues and provides continuing legal education for lawyers.
Press contact:
For general questions or interview requests with the editors or authors, please contact:
Carola Otte
030-2045 0256
For questions about the RAV's positions and interview requests with RAV members, please contact:
Berenice Böhlo, Attorney at Law
More information can be found on the RAV website.
Further quotes from the presentation [please only quote after Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 11:00 AM]
Dr. Gerhart Baum, former Federal Minister of the Interior, presents the Fundamental Rights Report via video link from Berlin. He emphasizes the importance of defending fundamental rights: “We strongly criticize human rights violations all over the world. But we are only credible if we also identify and combat such violations in our own democracy. The Fundamental Rights Report does just that every year.”
Hedi Tounsi, ver.di shop steward and works council member at Amazon, reports on the constant surveillance at the logistics company and summarizes: "Amazon isn't really interested in protecting its colleagues; for the company, only one thing matters: How many packages can you handle per hour? In this situation, we have to fight for better working conditions every day."
Marie Volkmann, who studies law at Humboldt University in Berlin and is a member of the Federal Working Group of Critical Law Groups, clarifies the goals of the editorial team of the Fundamental Rights Report: "The report aims to build a bridge. By providing information about the state of human rights, it is intended to serve as both a basis and an encouragement for activist work."
