auf Deutsch: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/familienrecht.htm

Family Rights

Both governments and embassies have approached Germany for many years because of international family and child conflicts. Now the European parliament will deal with such questions. Especially foreign parents have had dramatic conflicts with German Jugendamt and courts.

Foreigners report report to be shocked meeting German administration and courts e. g. not having even heard when decisions were made and of many other forms of unfair treatment. 5 German states are the last states in the civilized world to deny freedom of information i. e. the "Right to Know" or access to public information. While Germans have been subject to these denials for ages (Appendix D, E), foreigners are used to these civil rights and do not accept human right violations. 

German judiciary lacks independence (Art. 6 European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) to protect citizens rights and human rights against the "Jugendamt" and other authorities. Judges in federal states are hired, promoted and supervised by the governments. Independence of the justice system is considered basic for a democracy and regulated with international law (Appendix C, D).

In direct contact with administration the right to good administration according to Recommendation 1615 (2003) of the Parliamentarian Assembly of the Council of Europe and CoE Recommendation Rec(2007)7 on good administration and Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in EU is missing in Germany, i. e.

• Every person has the right to have his or her affairs handled impartially, fairly and within a reasonable time (Article 41 (1))
  
• The right of every person to be heard (Article 41 (2))
• The right of every person to have access to his or her file (Article 41 (2))
• The obligation of the administration to give reasons for its decisions (Article 41 (2))
• Right of access to documents (Article 42)
• Ombudsman (Article 43)

When administrative courts were founded, there was no supervision of judges, because it would have been a disadvantage for citizens who complain against the administration lead by the government. However the dictator Hitler added supervision of courts. Before the Prussian administrative courts (Preußischen Oberverwaltungsgericht) have been without supervision since 1875, as well as e. g. administrative courts in Saxony. But § 7 sentence 1 of the first regulation ("Durchführungsverordnung) of 29. April 1941 of the decree of the fuehrer ("Führer-Erlass") on the establishment of the administrative court of the Reich (Imperial Law Gazette RGBl I S. 201: Erste DV = RGBl I S. 224) gave the minister of justice of the Reich supervision rights.

The human right of access to public documents is international considered a precondition for democracy:

• More then 125 states with more then 5.9 billion inhabitants adopted FOI laws or provisions in constitutions (http://right2info.org/laws). 5 German states with half of the population lack FOI laws.
  
• 88 states with 5.5 billion inhabitants give better access to information then the federal Freedom of Information Law in Germany (http://www.rti-rating.org/country-data/).
  

Transparency is important to fight corruption. The lack of transparency can be illustrated by these facts:

• The UN Convention against Corruption is ratified by 160 states with more then 6.5 billion inhabitants, but not by Germany.
  
• Germany did not ratify the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and does not follow Recommendation Rec(2003)4 on common rules against corruption in the funding of political parties and electoral campaigns of the Council of Europe.
  
• Germany is the only state in Europe which has not ratified any of these to conventions against corruption.

The National Integrity Report (NIS) is part of an initiative of the European Commission in the fight against corruption. In January 2012, Transparency Germany published the NIS Report : - 84 weaknesses in the fight against corruption (Appendix T). Germany has to improve the federal FOI law, adopt FOI laws in 5 federal states (Bundesländer), ratify CoE and UN conventions against corruption and improve transparency of  sideline jobs for members of parliaments and funding of political parties to catch up with other states (see weakness no. 2, 3, 4, 8, 34, 35 and 52 of the NIS)

This rejection of the human right of access to information and transparency in Germany is outstanding in EU, Europe and the civilized world.

Therefore the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) is important. In Article 8 of the ECHRFF family rights are protected. Article 10 ECHRFF secures Freedom of Information. However the ECtHR has an overload of cases and demands that all domestic remedies must be tried first. i. e. national courts up to the highest level. The costs of domestic remedies are high, because a lawyer has to be hired for higher courts.

The Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe visited Germany and published the report CommDH(2007)14 with many suggestions, i. e. promote independent extrajudicial complaints bodies and educate judges and administration in human rights (Appendix H). However the national parliament Bundestag rejected even to discuss (Appendix L) these suggestions and petitions to 11 local parliaments where rejected (Appendix I).

But Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union reads:

"The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities." 

Unfortunately only new members are evaluated and must adopt these norms. Germany violates e. g. the following international principles:

• Independence of judges, i. e. separation of powers is not done, violation of Art. 6 of European Convention on Human Rights i. e. Recommendation No. R (94)12 and PACE Resolution 1685 (2009) (see Appendix D, J, K, M)
• Human right of access to public documents (information) is still lacking in 5 of 16 states (länder) (see Appendix G), which is found all over Europe and the civilized word.
• Decriminalisation of punishment of defamation (insult, libel) according to OSCE (Appendix N, O, P). Up to now 180 000 accused i. e. 20 % of criminal prosecution cases are insult (Appendix Q). Even sending copies of petitions about decriminalization of defamation and suggestions of the Human Rights Commissioner CommDH(2007)14 was answered by a threat of insult accusation (Appendix R and S).

Letters and answers:

• Human Rights Council Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: A/HRC/WG.6/16/L.7: 96 states made approx. 200 recommendations [in relation to Baltic Sea NGO Forum suggestion No.]:
  
  B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review
  
  • "31. Poland requested to know about its recommendation made at the first review regarding judicial control over the administrative decisions of the Jugendamt and about measures taken to meet the international obligations arising from article 17 of ICCPR. Poland made a recommendation.
  • 59. Turkey noted insecurity caused by growing xenophobia and the killing of 10 persons by the National Socialist Underground. It noted the separation of Turkish children from their families by the Jugendamt and criticism of that body’s actions. Turkey made recommendations.
  • 115. Italy requested Germany to elaborate on the specific measures it intended to take for migrant children to overcome possible obstacles encountered in accessing higher education. It referred to concerns about the work of the Jugendamt."
  
  
  II. Conclusions and/or recommendations
  123. Responses to the following recommendations will be provided by Germany in due time, but no later than the 24th session of the Human Rights Council in September 2013:
  
• "123.22: Ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption (Austria);
  
• 123.28: Withdraw all reservations to human rights instruments to which Germany is a party, first of all, to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Russian Federation); [2]
  
• 123.42: Align its national legislation with international human rights standards (Iraq); [3, approx. 5]
  
• 123.46: Expand the mandate of the German Institute for Human Rights to receiving complaints of human rights violations (India); [7]
  
• 123.49: Secure proper follow-up to the accepted recommendation from the first UPR cycle and introduce tools that will improve the effective judicial control over the administrative decisions of the Office of Youth called Jugendamt (Poland); [approx. 5]
  
• 123.145. Introduce independent and effective legal and professional supervision of the Youth Office (Jugendamt) and ensure that the Jugendamt decisions be in conformity with binding international norms, including the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (Turkey); [approx. 3, approx. 4]
  
• 123.169. Federal and State Governments, in consultation with civil society, broaden and intensify existing human rights training in schools as well as the routine training of police, security, prison and health personnel, and set up a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess progress (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland);" [4]


• 28. April 2013: Many delegations of the Human Rights Council complaint about the Youth Office (Jugendamt) during the Universal Periodic Review.
  
  
• Petition to EU Parliament (9. February 2012): Jugendamt, Human Right of Access to Documents of Public Administration and Good Administration.

• 16 October 2011: CBS, Above the Law? German Agency Destroying Families
  

• 20. November 2008: MEP Boguslaw Rogalski "Written declaration on discrimination on grounds of origin"

• 2008: MOTION FOR A EU-RESOLUTION: Germany does not respect international law

• 04. March 2008: Answer of the EU Commission about family rights

• 03. March 2008: Videodokumentation recorded on the meeting on the Winter Session of NGO's of Council of Europe in Strassburg 21th. -24th of January 2008

• 16. January 2008: Debate EU Parliament: Violations of human rights by German officials and courts

• 25. December 2007: Right Violations: Why do German Courts not secure Human Rights against the "Jugendamt" falsely called Welfare Office? Suggestion to implement recommendations of Human Rights Commissioner. (Short version). Answer of the EU Commission

• CEED - COMMUNIQUE / december 2007 / Towards a European Strategy on the Rights of the Child ... see : European Parliament - Commission LIBE - 17.-18.12.2007 

• 26. November 2007: European Parliament: President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe demands to abolish the Jugendamt: Video.

• 14. November 2007: Letter to German Chancellor about Human Right Violations: (Menschenrechtsverletzungen).

• 2. November 2007: President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe sends Bamberg declaration on human right violations to Commissioner for Human Rights Council of Europe and Chairman of the Committee on Petitions European Parliament (Att.“Bamberg Declaration”).

• 26. October 2007: The general information contained in your communication, including suggestion of legal reforms, was read with attention and may be used by the Commissioner in the exercise of his mandate.

• 21. October 2007:  “Bamberg Declaration”: Within the framework of the child and youth protection in Germany, especially on the part of the youth welfare offices, there are violations of Human Rights, in particular of Article 3, Article 6, Article 8, Article 13 and Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

• 17. October 2007: Letter to Committee of Petitions of the European Parliament: Why do German Courts not secure Human Rights against the "Jugendamt"  Suggestion to implement recommendations of Human Rights Commissioner: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/0710eup-en.htm

• 17. July 2007: Letter to MEP Wieland: Human Right Violations in Germany: The German Youth Department (Jugendamt) falsely called Welfare Office: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/0706eup-en.htm

• 13 APRIL 2007: Petition to the Chairman of the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament: (Historical analysis) In reference to the German Jugendamt complex of problems

• 12 July 2006 European Parliament: PE 375.840v01-00 Or. PL: Boguslaw Rogalski on the violation of human rights by the German authorities and courts

Internet Publications

Parents are using the Internet to inform.

• 21. October 2007: GERMAN Jugendamt (falsely called JUVENILE CARE OFFICES) AND THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. International symposium as a reaction to a judicial scandal in Bamberg: “Bamberg Declaration”: Within the framework of the child and youth protection in Germany, especially on the part of the youth welfare offices, there are violations of Human Rights, in particular of Article 3, Article 6, Article 8, Article 13 and Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

• www.petra-heller.com/: English section

• CEED - Conseil Européen des Enfants du Divorce children and grandparents victims of international and administrative child abductions.

• http://problemamt.de/: Polnischer Verband Eltern gegen Diskriminierung der Kinder in Deutschland e. V.

• Michael Hickman.org: Child Abduction to Germany

• www.rosanajoysugwayson.org: Rosana Joy Sug Wayson was abducted from her native Brazil Dec. 17, 1997, with the help of German officials. Related links.

• October 2006: Testimony of the "absolute power" of the Jugendamt, which is not corrected by other authorities.

Sorry in German only:

• Der Fall Görgülü: Adoption durch staatlichen Kindesraub (Neue Juristischen Wochenzeitschrift NJW 2007 (2744): "Wenn der Rechtsstaat seine Unschuld verliert").

• GEBT MIR MEIN KIND ZURÜCK: Wie leichtfertig einer Mutter das "Münschhausen-by-proxy-Syndrom" unterstellt wird, wenn ihr Kind an Borreliose leidet.

• Elternkummer: Das Jugendamt - "Eine Kinderklaubehörde"? Gesamtredaktion : Autorin und Journalistin Dr. phil. Karin Jäckel

• kinderklau.net - Die Webseite der Familie Haase. Wie die Jugendämter Münster und Steinfurt eine Familie zerstören

• Linkliste von kindesraub.de: enthält viele weitere Beispiele

• Das sind also keine Einzelfälle:

  • Fall Kutzner
  • Fall Sahin
  • Fall Sommerfeld
  • Fall Niederboester
  • Fall Elsholz
  • Fall A. Hofmann
  • Fall Borgartz
  • Fall Neumann
  • Fall Meseke

Appendix:

1. Letter of 15. February 2007 of the German Federal Ministry of Justice to the "Vorsitzenden der Familienministerkonferenz" regarding the JUGENDAMT: http://www.jugendamt-wesel.com/PETITION/Zypries_kommentierter_Brief_mit_Ori_DE.pdf

2. CoE Press Release 499(2007). Report CommDH(2007)14 by the Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, on his visit to Germany, 9 – 11 and 15 – 20 October 2006: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1162763: German Human Rights Institute should monitor, development of national action plan on human rights.

3. RECOMMENDATION No. R (94) 12. OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO MEMBER STATES. ON THE INDEPENDENCE, EFFICIENCY AND ROLE OF JUDGES: http://hjpc.ba/dc/pdf/Recommendation%20no%20R%20(94)%2012.pdf

4. Separation of powers in Germany and Europe: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/separation_of_powers.htm  

5. RECOMMENDATION No. R (85) 13 OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO MEMBER STATES ON THE INSTITUTION OF THE OMBUDSMAN

6. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) 2003: Recommendation 1615 (2003) The institution of ombudsman

7. Freedom of Information in Germany and the rest of the world: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/foi.htm

8. 11 July 2007, CommDH(2007)14: REPORT BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS MR THOMAS HAMMARBERG ON HIS VISIT TO GERMANY 9. – 11. and 15. – 20. October 2006: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CommDH(2007)14&Language=lanEnglish  Strengthen the mandate of the German Institute for Human Rights with regard to structural and factual monitoring, develop the national action plan on human rights.

9. Rejection of Suggestions of Commissioner for Human Rights by German Parliaments, Freedom of Information and Separation of Powers: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/coe_result.htm

10. Point 5.4 of Resolution 1685 (2009) Europarat: Allegations of politically motivated abuses of the criminal justice system in Council of Europe member states http://www.assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta09/ERES1685.htm
11. PACE Press release - 712(2009): The independence of the judicial system isthe principal line of defence against political interference in the law: http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Press/StopPressView.asp?ID=2205
12. 15.10.08: Anhörung im Deutschen Bundestag zum 8. Bericht der Bundesregierung über ihre Menschenrechtspolitik - Statement von Frauke Seidensticker: Bedauerlich dass keine Auseinadersetzung mit dem Bericht des Kommissars für Menschenrechte des Europarates Thomas Hammarberg enthalten ist. http://webarchiv.bundestag.de/archive/2010/0427/bundestag/ausschuesse/a17/anhoerungen/bericht8/stellungn/Seidensticker.pdf
13. PACE Press release - 712(2009): The independence of the judicial system is the principal line of defence against political interference in the law: http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Press/StopPressView.asp?ID=2205
14. IRIS 2006-10:2/1: Ilia Dohel: Büro des OSZE-Beauftragten für die Freiheit der Medien. Beauftragter für Medienfreiheit: Bericht über Erfolge bei der Entkriminalisierung von Ehrverletzungen: http://merlin.obs.coe.int/iris/2006/10/article1
15. Volume: 35 Number: 12 Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman May 24, 2002 www.csce.gov CRIMINAL DEFAMATION AND “INSULT” LAWS: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/osce_defamation_2002.htm
16. Defamation in international law, OSCE, Council of Europe and law in Germany: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/defamation.htm
17. The Protagonists of an infantile Cult of Honor. Germany risks the Wrath of the Council of Europe with her arbitrary and childish "Insult" Laws by Peter Briody, institut voigt: http://www.eucars.de/images/stories/insult_eng.pdf
18. 08.01.08 : Die Gerichtspräsidentin vom LG Zweibrücken droht mit Strafantrag wegen Beleidigung: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/080108-Irmgard_Wolf.html
19. 25.03.08: Die Landgerichtspräsidentin wird aufgefordert die Drohung mit Strafanzeige zurückzunehmen, wegen Meinungsfreiheit: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/080325lgz.htm
20. January 2012, Transparency Germany: - 84 weaknesses in the fight against corruption (conventions against Corruption to be ratified, improve FOI laws): http://www.gp-f.com/en/ak.php#231

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Separation of Powers: Independence of Judiciary:

Freedom of Information (Access to Information Laws) in Europe and German states (länder).