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Democracy in Decline: Liberties’ Rule of Law Report 2025 Exposes Serious Concerns
The 2025 Rule of Law Report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (‘Liberties‘) that was published today, reveals a concerning picture: democratic institutions in the EU continued to weaken in 2024 due to government neglect or active dismantling. The report, compiled by 43 human rights organisations—including PILP as a member of Liberties—provides a critical […]
New case won in Sint Maarten: Minister lifts conditions on peaceful protest
The Minister of Justice of Sint Maarten has decided that the conditions that were imposed on the demonstration of January 10, are in violation of the law and human rights and had to be withdrawn. SXM in Solidarity with Palestine has been vindicated by the Justice Minister of Sint Maarten, Nathalie Tackling on all points. […]
New report on security measures at universities: What are the limits of what universities can do?
PILP has recently published a new report on the increasing security measures being implemented at Dutch universities. Over the past year, various media outlets have reported on (new) far-reaching measures being used by several Dutch universities. There have been reports of, for example, the use of plainclothes security personnel, the (covert) checking of bags, asking […]
Victory for citizens in first SXM case on right to protest
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Today, in a landmark victory for free speech, the freedom of assembly and democratic rights, the court ruled in favor of SXM in Solidarity with Palestine – an action group that wanted to demonstrate peacefully in Philipsburg after the onslaughts on Gaza began in October 2023. They organized a March of Love and […]
Analysis: Consequences of participating in protests for residence permits of students and staff
Everyone has the right to protest. International students and employees at educational institutions in the Netherlands also have this right, regardless of their residence status. PILP has received many questions about whether and how participation in a demonstration can affect the residence permits of international students and employees at educational institutions. In this analysis, PILP […]
Climate activists Twente object to restrictions on their right to demonstrate in Hengelo
Four climate activists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion Twente planned to demonstrate in Hengelo on May 25, 2024. The demonstration was supposed to have been a small demonstration on the climate crisis, calling on the public to participate in follow-up actions and activities around climate justice. The mayor of Hengelo imposed as many as 10 restrictions […]
Verdict: ING discriminates against customers based on their ethnicity in transaction checks
The National Institute on Human Rigths (NIHR) ruled on 25 July 2024 that ING discriminated in checks for terrorist financing. The bank wrongfully froze customers’ accounts and asked them extra questions about transactions solely because of their surname or the inclusion of a so-called “non-Dutch-sounding” name in the description. This particularly greatly affected people of […]
KOZP and NLWB win objection case over Slochteren demonstration
Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP) and Stichting Nederland Wordt Beter (NLWB) peacefully demonstrated on November 25, 2023 in Slochteren against the discriminatory parts of the Sinterklaas parade there. The mayor of Midden-Groningen had imposed several restrictions on this demonstration. The mayor had done so for fear of disorder. KOZP and NLWB found this fear unjustified […]
Residential travellers of The Hague in the Volkskrant
Due to discriminatory caravan policies, Sinti, Roma and Travellers in The Hague sometimes have to wait a lifetime for a pitch, according to the Volkskrant. In the Volkskrant article, one of the residents also says that his caravan camp was declared unlivable years ago. It is more common for caravan camps to be located in […]