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Ombudsmen claim that freedoms be guaranteed in the implementation of measures against threats to human rights

Gathered in Barcelona on the occasion of a seminar on the challenges and threats of human rights organized by the Ombudsman of Catalonia, ombudsmen around the world, mostly European, agreed that ombudsmen should have a firm position for the defence of human rights. In this line, they have committed to fighting the regressions in rights at both individual level and through the network of ombudsmen.The seminar, organized within the framework of the activities of the International Ombudsman Institute, gathered about a hundred human rights experts and ombudsmen at the Saló Tinell, in Barcelona, on 26th and 27th April 2016. The President of the Generalitat, Carles Puigdemont, and the Mayor of Barcelona, ​​Ada Colau, together with the Ombudsman, Rafael Ribó, opened the event.

The French ombudsman, Jacques Toubon, and the Portuguese Ombudsman, José de Faria Costa, who is also president of the FIO, have delivered keynote speeches of the first session of the seminar under the name "Freedom-security dilemma". Italian jurist and professor Stefano Rodotá has also addressed some words in a recorded video. The session was chaired by the federal Belgian Ombudsman, Catherine De Bruecker.

All of them, as well as several supporters who participated in the roundtable discussions, have discussed if current threats to rights are justified for security reasons. For instance, disproportionate punitive responses, suppression of guarantees in criminal prosecution, persecution of crime on the basis of ethnic profiling or invasion of privacy through new technologies.

They denounce the abuse of criminal law and the illegitimate interference in privacy and freedom of expression. They also claimed that democratic constitutions should recognize absolute rights, which can not be suspended or restricted under any circumstances, including the prohibition of torture.  

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