More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
Paul Lappalainen 2014-02-15 Reva - Litigating Ethnic Profiling
1. REVA: Litigating Ethnic Profiling!
20140215 ABF-huset, Sveavägen 41, Stockholm
Paul Lappalainen,
Senior advisor, Swedish Equality Ombudsman
paul.lappalainen@do.se
2. The Blue and Yellow Glass House: Structural Discrimination in Sweden
(Det blågula glashuset: strukturell diskriminering i Sverige SOU 2005:56)
With ethnic profiling, we see just ”them”!
paul.lappalainen@do.se
3. Some issues
Are police stop/search actions concerning
aliens covered by the Discrim Act?
DL 2:17. Contacts with the public. But judgments, official actions not
covered according to legislative history (förarbeten).
Can the DO bring a discrimination case (ECHR)
if the Discrimination Act does not apply???
Not so far…
What about stop documentation like the UK?
Voluntary self-identification recommended in the Glass House
paul.lappalainen@do.se
4. Problems going forward
The STATE is good. Especially the police.
NGOs want laws but seldom effectively
participate in legislation or litigation
Laws protecting less powerful interests
often lack (effective) remedies
Loser pays system
Lack of a progressive network of lawyers
Interplay of politics/law misunderstood
Finding an individual complainant
paul.lappalainen@do.se
5. Moving forward
Testing the limits of the DL
Testing penal code 16:9 - unlawful
discrimination by public officials
Testing penal code 20:1 – misuse of
office (tjänstefel) / plus damages
Violation of European conv on HR
Political leadership re police
management
NGO legal actions? Funding?
paul.lappalainen@do.se
8. STEP 2 – Civil society role in
implementation of laws/policies
9. "Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful committed people can
change the world. Indeed it is the
only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
How to lobby? http://www.united.non-profit.nl/pages/info21.htm
paul.lappalainen@do.se
10. "Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful committed people can
change the world. Indeed it is the
only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
How to lobby? http://www.united.non-profit.nl/pages/info21.htm
paul.lappalainen@do.se
Editor's Notes
DL 2:17
Discrimination is also prohibited in cases … when a person who is wholly or partly subject to the Public Employment Act (1994:260)
1. assists the public by providing information, guidance, advice or other such help, or
2. has other types of contacts with the public in the course of her or his employment.
Legislative history (förarbeten)
DL 2:17 does not cover court judgments or other actions where officials are carrying out their legal duties
Göteborg court case – exclusion from a public trial for wearing a niqab
The DO has a broad legal mandate. But thus far the DO has required a connection to the DL.
But other actions are possible – changes in laws, reports to the govt, consultations with key officials.
Voluntary self-identification, based on a clear purpose was basically proposed in the Glass House Inquiry.
Results - insights to NGOs as well as to the police: effective in other countries
Chapter 20
On Misuse of Office, etc.
Section 1
A person who in the exercise of public authority by act or by
omission, intentionally or through carelessness, disregards the
duties of his office, shall be sentenced for misuse of office
Chapter 20
On Misuse of Office, etc.
Section 1
A person who in the exercise of public authority by act or by
omission, intentionally or through carelessness, disregards the
duties of his office, shall be sentenced for misuse of office
Vi upplever diskriminering/förtryck
Mobilisering av de berörda. Gemensamma mål och fokus. Kunskapsbas.
Leder till lagar och myndigheter.
Framsteg har ofta gjorts pga att vissa faktorer som mobilisering, ”juridik” som fokus och forskning samspelat – dvs när en riktad sprängkraft (RSK) uppnås som samlar den makt som även de berörda besitter och maktstrukturer går med på vissa framsteg
Dessa framsteg utgörs av t ex antidiskriminerinslagar och myndigheter
Antislaveriet, kvinnorörelsen (den tidiga och dagens), handikapprörelsen, HBT-rörelsen, starting line group…
I normala fall – när civilrättsliga lagar antas finns det parter som är någorlunda jämbördiga som kommer att driva på normutvecklingen genom processer, opinionsbildning, utveckling av praxis.
På vissa områden har man kommit fram till att det inte räcker med den normala implementeringsprocessen. Förenklat kan man säga att särskilda myndigheter utses eller andra åtgärder vidtas på grund av obalansen i makten när det gäller sakfrågan. Och en misstanke att förändringsprocessen skulle ske alltför långsamt. Under de sista 50 åren har man sett detta i synnerhet i förhållande till miljörätt, konsumenträtt och lika rättigheter och möjligheter.
Structural discrimination r institutional racism) refers to rules, norms, routines, and attitude and behavior patterns in institutions / structures that are obstacles to ethnic or religious minorities in achieving the same rights and opportunities that are available to the majority of the population.
Open or hidden, intentional or unintentional.