Brussels, 17/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Further to his official visit to Lithuania last October, the commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe, Thomas Hammarberg, has published letters he sent to the Lithuanian prime minister, Andrius Kubilius, and to the president of the Seimas (parliament) on issues of discrimination, minority rights and measures taken to investigate the alleged detention of people suspected of terrorist activities by the CIA on Lithuanian soil, according to a Council of Europe press release.
As regards the issues of discrimination, Commissioner Hammarberg: - warns against the adoption of legislative provisions which would unjustifiably limit the freedom of expression or of assembly, or which would bring in discrimination based on sexual orientation; - recommends increasing public awareness of the situation of groups affected by discrimination and intolerance and encouraging the respect of the rights of these groups.
As regards the rights of national minorities, Thomas Hammarberg: - takes note of the decision by the Constitutional Court to offer the possibility of transcribing minority-language patronymics onto passports, which the commissioner described as "a step forward"; - hopes that an acceptable solution will be found regarding the use of minority languages in bilingual topographical indications.
As regards the Parliamentary investigation into allegations that the CIA ran a secret detention centre on Lithuanian soil in which it held people suspected of terrorism, the commissioner described this as "encouraging". The investigation in fact showed that the Lithuanian authorities did indeed cooperate with the US security services to create a structure of this kind in the country.
Lastly, Hammarberg urges Lithuania to ratify Protocol no.12 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which, the press release recalls, provides for a general ban on discrimination and accepts the collective complaints procedure laid down by the European Social Charter. (G. B./transl.fl)