II Europe and Central Asia Summary of Amnesty International’s Concerns in the Region, January – June 2007 BELARUS ............................................................................................................................. 19 International concern about human rights in Belarus ............................................................... 19 Freedom of Expression ........................................................................................................ 19 Human Rights Defenders ..................................................................................................... 20 Death Penalty..................................................................................................................... 20 Restrictions on Religious communities ................................................................................... 20 BELGIUM ............................................................................................................................. 21 Allegations of police ill-treatment .......................................................................................... 21 Asylum .............................................................................................................................. 21 Discrimination .................................................................................................................... 22 Counter-terrorism (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ..................................................... 23 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ............................................................................................... 23 General and political developments ....................................................................................... 23 War crimes and crimes against humanity (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ..................... 24 International investigations and prosecutions ..................................................................... 24 Domestic investigations and prosecutions .............................................................................. 25 Enforced disappearances (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ............................................ 27 Right to return (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) .......................................................... 27 ‘War on terror’ (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) .......................................................... 28 Discrimination against Roma (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ....................................... 29 Violence against Women (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ............................................ 29 Human rights defenders ...................................................................................................... 30 BULGARIA ........................................................................................................................... 30 Background........................................................................................................................ 30 Discrimination .................................................................................................................... 30 The Romani community ................................................................................................... 30 Violations of the rights of asylum-seekers and refugees ........................................................... 31 Case of Annadurdy Khadzhiev .......................................................................................... 31 International scrutiny (Update AI Index: EUR 01/001/2001) .................................................... 31 Policing concerns ................................................................................................................ 32 CENTRAL ASIA .................................................................................................................... 32 European Union strategy for Central Asia ............................................................................... 32 Human Rights Concerns....................................................................................................... 33 Rule of Law and Impunity ................................................................................................ 33 Human rights violations as a consequence of counter-terrorism measures ............................. 33 Human Rights Defenders and Freedom of Expression .......................................................... 33 Death penalty ................................................................................................................ 34 Comments on and Recommendations for the EU Central Asia strategy ...................................... 34 Institutionalized human rights dialogues ............................................................................ 34 Benchmarking: AI’s recommendations .............................................................................. 35 Adoption of the strategy ...................................................................................................... 36 CROATIA ............................................................................................................................. 36 General and political developments ....................................................................................... 36 War crimes and crimes against humanity (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ..................... 37 International prosecutions ............................................................................................... 37 Missing persons and enforced disappearances (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ............... 38 Right to return (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) .......................................................... 38 Discrimination against Roma ................................................................................................ 39 Violence against women (update to AI Index: EUR 01/001/2007) ............................................. 40 European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) ............................................................................................................... 40 CZECH REPUBLIC ................................................................................................................ 40 Ratifications ....................................................................................................................... 40 Discrimination against Roma ................................................................................................ 40 Review by CERD ............................................................................................................. 40 Discrimination in education (update to AI Index: POL 10/001/2007) ..................................... 41 Amnesty International AI Index: EUR 01/010/2007