Die 3. Kammer des VG Osnabrück hat nach der heutigen mündlichen Verhandlung die Klage einer Lehrerin auf Entschädigung wegen religiöser Diskriminierung gegen die Niedersächsische Landesschulbehörde (Beklagte) abgewiesen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen
Die 3. Kammer des VG Osnabrück hat nach der heutigen mündlichen Verhandlung die Klage einer Lehrerin auf Entschädigung wegen religiöser Diskriminierung gegen die Niedersächsische Landesschulbehörde (Beklagte) abgewiesen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen
The applicants are 13 Georgian nationals who are all Jehovah’s Witnesses. The case concerned alleged harassment of Jehovah’s witnesses in Georgia. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen
Die Klägerin klagt auf die Gewährung einer Entschädigung bzw. von Schmerzensgeld nach dem Allgemeinen Gleichbehandlungsgesetz (AGG). Die Landesschulbehörde (Beklagte) hatte eine ihr Mitte 2013 erteilte Einstellungszusage zurückgezogen, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass die Klägerin beabsichtige, auch in der Schule ein (muslimisches) Kopftuch zu tragen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen
Ein völlig neutraler Dresscode kann jedenfalls eine mittelbare Diskriminierung darstellen, die nur gerechtfertigt ist, wenn sie in angemessenem Verhältnis zur Verfolgung eines rechtmäßigen Zwecks steht, wozu auch die geschäftlichen Interessen eines Arbeitgebers gehören. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Janusz Wojciechowski, is a Polish national who was born in 1950 and lives in Warsaw. The case concerns his complaint about inadequate conditions of detention. After a conviction Mr Wojciechowski was detained from June 2007 until January 2009, first in a semiopen facility and then in a closed-type facility, namely Koszalin Remand Centre. In 2007 and 2009 he lodged a number of complaints with various authorities – including the Ombudsman, the Ministry of Justice and the relevant penitentiary court – and brought civil proceedings in which he claimed compensation, alleging: deplorable conditions of detention (notably, on account of overcrowding) in Koszalin Remand Centre; inadequate medical care for a skin condition he had contracted in the remand centre through a dirty and damp mattress; and unreasonable restrictions on his attending Sunday Mass in the remand centre. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Janusz Wojciechowski, is a Polish national who was born in 1950 and lives in Warsaw. The case concerns his complaint about inadequate conditions of detention. After a conviction Mr Wojciechowski was detained from June 2007 until January 2009, first in a semiopen facility and then in a closed-type facility, namely Koszalin Remand Centre. In 2007 and 2009 he lodged a number of complaints with various authorities – including the Ombudsman, the Ministry of Justice and the relevant penitentiary court – and brought civil proceedings in which he claimed compensation, alleging: deplorable conditions of detention (notably, on account of overcrowding) in Koszalin Remand Centre; inadequate medical care for a skin condition he had contracted in the remand centre through a dirty and damp mattress; and unreasonable restrictions on his attending Sunday Mass in the remand centre. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Stütze sich das Verbot auf eine allgemeine Betriebsregelung, nach der sichtbare politische, philosophische und religiöse Zeichen am Arbeitsplatz untersagt seien, könne es gerechtfertigt sein, um die vom Arbeitgeber verfolgte legitime Politik der religiösen und weltanschaulichen Neutralität durchzusetzen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Association for Solidarity with Jehovah Witnesses and Others v. Turkey (applications nos. 36915/10 and 8606/13) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 9 (right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case concerned the inability of the Mersin and İzmir Jehovah’s Witnesses to obtain an appropriate place in order to engage in worship. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicants are Hüseyin Sami Gül and Levent Sarkut, preachers and leaders of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses of the city of Mersin (Turkey), born in 1953 and 1952 respectively, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses Solidarity Association, established on 31 July 2007 to represent the Jehovah’s Witnesses community in Turkey. The case concerns the inability of Jehovah’s Witnesses in İzmir and Mersin to meet in an appropriate place in order to worship. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
In today’s Grand Chamber judgment in the case of İzzettin Doğan and Others v. Turkey (application no. 62649/10) the European Court of Human Rights held by 12 votes to 5, that there had been a violation of Article 9 (right to freedom of religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights, and by 16 votes to 1, that there had been a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken in conjunction with Article 9 of the European Convention. The case concerned the domestic authorities’ refusal to provide the applicants, who are followers of the Alevi faith (the country’s second-largest faith in terms of the number of followers), with the public religious service which, in the applicants’ assertion, is provided exclusively to citizens adhering to the Sunni understanding of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The European Court of Human Rights will be delivering a Grand Chamber judgment in the case of İzzettin Doğan and Others v. Turkey (application no. 62649/10) at a public hearing on 26 April 2016 at 11.30 a.m. in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg. The case concerns the domestic authorities’ refusal to provide the applicants, followers of the Alevi faith, with the religious public service hitherto provided exclusively, in the applicants’ assertion, to citizens adhering to the Sunni understanding of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Die Kirchensteuerpflicht verstößt nicht gegen die Glaubensfreiheit und das Grundrecht der ungestörten Religionsausübung, weil sie durch Beendigung der Kirchenmitgliedschaft abgewendet werden kann. Die Erklärung des Kirchenaustritts kann auch nicht auf die Kirche als Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts unter Verbleib in der Religionsgemeinschaft als Glaubensgemeinschaft beschränkt werden. Dies entschied das OVG Rheinland-Pfalz in Koblenz. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Sodan v. Turkey (application no. 18650/05) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, and a violation of Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair trial within a reasonable time) of the Convention. The case concerned the applicant’s transfer from his senior post within the governor’s office in the capital to a similar post in the provinces following a report on his conduct pointing out that his wife wore an Islamic veil and that he himself had an introverted personality. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Ramazan Sodan, is a Turkish national who was born in 1952 and lives in Ankara. He was deputy governor of Ankara at the relevant time. The case concerns Mr Sodan’s transfer from his senior post with the governor’s office following a report on his conduct, and his complaints regarding his freedom of thought, conscience and religion and respect for his private life. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Péter Süveges, is a Hungarian national who was born in 1972. A multiple recidivist, Mr Süveges essentially complained about the criminal proceedings against him on, among other offences, aggravated murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms and explosives, as well as his related pre-trial detention and house arrest. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Péter Süveges, is a Hungarian national who was born in 1972. A multiple recidivist, Mr Süveges essentially complains about the criminal proceedings against him on, among other offences, aggravated murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms and explosives, as well as his related pre-trial detention and house arrest. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Das Grundrecht eines Sikhs auf Religionsfreiheit gibt ihm keinen Anspruch darauf, von der Einhaltung der Pflicht zum Tragen eines Schutzhelms beim Motorradfahren befreit zu werden. Mit dieser Begründung hat das VG die Klage eines Sikhs gegen die Stadt Konstanz auf Befreiung von der Helmpflicht abgewiesen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Ebrahimian v. France (application no. 64846/11) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been no violation of Article 9 (right to freedom of religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case concerned the decision not to renew the contract of employment of a hospital social worker because of her refusal to stop wearing the Muslim veil. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Christiane Ebrahimian, is a French national who was born in 1951 and lives in Paris (France). The case concerns the decision not to renew Ms Ebrahimian’s contract of employment as a hospital social worker, because of her refusal to stop wearing a veil. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Das VG Koblenz hat die Klage eines Ehepaars gegen die Erhebung von Kirchensteuer abgewiesen. Mit ihrer Klage wenden sich die Eheleute gegen die Festsetzung der römisch-katholischen Kirchensteuer durch das beklagte Land. Sie sind der Auffassung, die Kirchensteuerpflicht verletze die vom Grundgesetz gewährleistete Religionsfreiheit sowie den Gleichbehandlungsgrundsatz. Gleichzeitig seien auch die entsprechenden Vorschriften der Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union verletzt. Die Erhebung von Kirchensteuer sei nicht Bestandteil der Religionsausübung innerhalb der römisch-katholischen Kirche. Auch müsse gesehen werden, dass immer weniger Menschen Mitglied einer der großen christlichen Kirchen seien. Diesem gesellschaftlichen Wandel müsse die Verfassung Rechnung tragen. Eine Kirchensteuerpflicht sei nicht mehr zeitgemäß. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Hakan Sanatkar, is a Turkish national who was born in 1959 and lives in Dobroieşti, in Ilfov County (Romania). The case concerned his conditions of detention. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Hakan Sanatkar, is a Turkish national who was born in 1959 and lives in Dobroieşti, in Ilfov County (Romania). The case concerns his conditions of detention and the practice of his religion in prison. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The European Court of Human Rights is holding a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Doğan and Others v. Turkey (application no. 62649/10). The applicants are 203 Turkish nationals who belong to the Alevi faith. The case concerns the rejection of the request made by the applicants, who belong to the Alevi faith, for provision of a religious public service which, they maintain, has been granted to date exclusively to the majority of citizens, who subscribe to the Sunni understanding of Islam. They contend that they have been discriminated against compared with citizens who follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicants are 203 Turkish nationals who belong to the Alevi faith. The case concerns the rejection of the request made by the applicants, who belong to the Alevi faith, for provision of a religious public service which, they maintain, has been granted to date exclusively to the majority of citizens, who subscribe to the Sunni understanding of Islam. They contend that they have been discriminated against compared with citizens who follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
The applicant, Veli Karaahmed, is a Bulgarian national who was born in 1976 and lives in Sofia. His case concerned a demonstration by members of the Ataka political party outside the Banya Bashi Mosque in Sofia and the official investigations into this incident. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »