THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON HUMAN RIGHTS - EUROPEAN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE IN CRIMINAL TRAILS

Trajanovska, Vesna and Peovska, Natasha (2020) THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON HUMAN RIGHTS - EUROPEAN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE IN CRIMINAL TRAILS. International yearbook of the Faculty of security – Skopje. pp. 19-36. ISSN 1857-6508

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Abstract

Today, the world is facing a new challenge, called COVID-19. The pandemic caused by this virus is a global, primarily health problem, but also a general problem that has affected more than millions of people from almost every country on the planet. In such circumstances, countries face the challenge of tackling an unknown enemy, protecting their citizens, while not violating their freedoms and rights.
However, it seems that this all goes together, and the global pandemic dictates a new way of running the "normal" functioning of the world, by imposing an urgent obligation to undertake a series of "extraordinary" measures. However such extraordinary measures largely encroach on the democratic values of the states, placing the enjoyment of human rights and freedoms in question with the justification - achievement of the common good. Hence, the picture is real of states that in the fight against the "invisible enemy" crossed the allowed borders and went so far as to derogate rights, which should not be derogated under any circumstances.
There are certain institutions, functions, and instruments that are a key link in a democratic society and their work should not be completely stalled under any circumstances. One of those links of democracy is the judicial system, and the work of the courts and the judicial administration must not be questioned even under these conditions of a global pandemic, primarily due to the fact that they are a guarantee for the realization of one of the essential human rights - the right of access to justice and the right to a fair trial.
The Covid-19 outbreak has challenged long-established legal procedures, the material functioning of the Court, the rule of law itself. In this article, videoconferencing in court proceedings is seen not only as an exceptional measure, but as possibly an effective part of the ordinary activity of courts. Fundamental rights at stake are taken into account, among them the European Convention on Human Rights and EU Charter rights of the defense, to effective remedies, to a fair trial, to be heard to a public hearing and to privacy.
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Human physical presence is invaluable. However, the current Covid 19 situation commands to treasure the earlier experience of the Spring 2020, and the absence of any ideological approach is desirable, whether this is in favour or against videoconferencing in Court.
Key words: human rights, access to justice, right to fair trial, COVID-19

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Social Sciences > Law Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Social Sciences > Other social sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Security
Depositing User:	Fbs Eprints
Date Deposited:	30 Oct 2024 12:26
Last Modified:	30 Oct 2024 12:26
URI:	https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/10369

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