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I. Human Rights – Introduction 1. Introductory text - Exam practice

GRAMMAR & LEXIS Time: approx. 20 minutes (16 points)Read the text and for questions 1– 16 translate the Czech expressions into English and the English ones into Czech.

Human rightsAll human beings are born free and equal in (1) důstojnosti a právech, states Article 1 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And some of them are more equal, skeptics are accustomed to saying. Nevertheless, there is a general consensus that human rights are to be considered the minimum standards of (2) freedom and security to which people all over the world are entitled. The degree to which these standards are met varies and serves as a mark for distinguishing democratic countries from less democratic ones. (3) Alleged human rights violations may even be used as a reason for taking an action against countries when economic sanctions are (4) uložené + předložka them or even a (5) vojenský zásah is taken against them, which in turn is criticized by the affected ones as being a mere pretext covering other interests, mainly the economic ones. For example, human rights are a very sensitive issue when dealing with China, the government of which claims that Chinese society has a different set of values and that Western countries should not impose their own values on them. Another frequently used argument against such interventions is a legal one accusing the interventionists of (6) porušení mezinárodního práva and (7) interfering in the affairs of others.Despite these controversies, most countries have signed international agreements (8) obliging them to observe human rights. The first one (already mentioned above) was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, interestingly, without a dissenting vote. It (9)proclaimed entitlement to human rights not depending upon race, color, sex, language, religion or any other difference among people and referred, among others, to freedom from various hideous things such as (10) otroctví a mučení and cruel punishment, (11) arbitrary arrest and detention, and also to the right to a fair and public hearing of a criminal charge, to (12.) vyjádřit názory and to take part (13) peacefully in assemblies. However, being only a declaration it (14) does not carry the force of a treaty obligation. In terms of efficiency, the European Convention on Human Rights seems to be more practical as it covers countries with similar cultures and economic conditions, and what is more, there is a special institution which people may (15) refer their matters to, namely the European Court of Human Rights seated in Strasbourg that has the right to (16) nařídit změnu of law in a particular country.

1._________________

2._________________

3._________________

4._________________5._________________

6._________________

7._________________

8._________________

9._________________

10._________________11._________________

12._________________13._________________14._________________

15._________________

16._________________

Created by the team of authors.

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2. Lists of Human RightsIf you were forced to keep just 3 rights, which would you be willing to give up?

Freedom from torture and cruel punishment

The right to express one´s opinion

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion

The right to own property and to choose employment

The right to take part peacefully in assemblies

No arbitrary arrest and detention

The right to a fair, independent and public hearing of a criminal charge

Freedom from slavery

Entitlement to rights does not depend upon race, colour, sex, language, religion or any other difference among people

3. EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Read the text of the ECHR (see ANNEX) and fill in the missing words of the headlines. Beware of the prepositions, choose OF, TO, or ON. Article 1 – Obligation _______________________ (4words)

Section I – Rights and freedoms

Article 2 – Right _______________________ (2words)

Article 3 – Prohibition _______________________ (2words)




Article 7 – No _______________________ (3words)


Article 9 – Freedom _______________________ (5words)






Article 15 – Derogation in time of emergency

Article 16 – Restrictions _______________________ (5words)


Article 18 – Limitation on use of restrictions on rights

Based on: http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf

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II. Amnesty International

1. Introductory text - Points for discussion Read the text about Amnesty International and discuss the points below.

Violations of human rights are not only decried and condemned by the UN and world powers but also by various NGO’s, the most prominent of them being Amnesty International (AI, hereinafter). The origin of this organization dates back to the early 1960s when a British lawyer, Peter Benenson, published an article in reaction to reading about two students in Portugal sentenced to imprisonment for drinking a toast to freedom. Benenson and his friends started a campaign for the release of such “prisoners of conscience” (an expression coined by the AI), describing people who have never advocated violence and were simply in prison because of their political or religious beliefs. The principal objective of Amnesty International has been to put pressure on governments to observe human rights by creating publicity and writing letters. More specifically, its goals include fair trials for political prisoners, putting an end to torture and inhuman treatment, and the abolition of the death penalty. The increasingly complex and ever more confusing conditions of the current world, however, have brought some controversies within the AI, such as the suspension of Gita Sahgal, the former head of AI’s Gender Unit, who criticized AI’s association with a controversial activist on the issue of Guantanamo detainees. Some prominent people raised their voice in her favor, among them Salmon Rushdie, who himself had been put in danger as a target of Muslim radicals after the publication of his novel Satanic Verses in the late 1980s. The late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran called for his death, which was followed by the Iranian authorities offering a bounty, (blood money), to any true Muslim for killing Rushdie. Consequently, Rushdie had to live in hiding, has been put on the hit list of Al-Qaeda, and only after almost a decade started to appear in public occasionally. His life is now in a sort of Catch-22 situation when the Iranian authorities claim that the fatwa, (the death sentence), imposed on him could only be revoked by the person who issued it but that particular person is now dead. A large area of human rights is also concerned with the issue of refugees, people fleeing their homes because of human rights abuses, political pressures, but often also with a vision of finding better living conditions. Such persons seek political asylum in foreign countries, which may be quite a lengthy process at the end of which asylum may or may not be granted.

Created by the team of authors.

Points for discussion

1. Countries all over the world are unable to respect human rights.

2. Human rights violations are considered to be strongly disapproved everywhere.

3. Amnesty International is the only NGO campaigning for the protection of human rights.

4. Amnesty International was founded by a Portuguese lawyer who defended two students from Britain.

5. Prisoners of conscience can be understood as people who are restrained (by imprisonment or otherwise)

from expressing (in any form of words or symbols) any opinion which they honestly hold and which does

not support violence.

6. Amnesty International does not interfere with violations of fundamental rights by governments.

7. Fair trials, prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment, the abolition of capital punishment are the main

objectives of Amnesty International.

8. Salmon Rushdie has been under the protection of the Iranian authorities until today.

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2. Peter Benenson – listening – exam practice

You will hear a recording about the life and work of Peter Benenson. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) according to the text. You will hear the recording twice.

1. Benenson helped to collect money during the Second World War toA) sent them to the children in Spain.B) help Jewish people leave Germany.C) undermine the Third Reich.D) decrease the power of the Nazis.

2. After the Second World War BenensonA) developed a new interest in cryptography.B) returned to university to study law.C) promised his mother to promote human rights.D) thought his life was over.

3. When dealing with political trials in Spain, BenensonA) made a list of all corrupted fascist judges.B) had a confrontation with a defense counsel.C) made an effort not to be shocked by the violations.D) managed to have the defendants acquitted.

4. In 1960 Benenson read an article about unjustly imprisoned students whichA) made him return to Portugal.B) pointed out all the problems.C) became a turning point for him.D) explained military dictatorship.

5. In order to help the students in Portugal BenensonA) wrote hundreds of letters himself.B) hired hundreds of lawyers to write letters.C) organized Portuguese students to write hundreds of letters.D) asked the public to write hundreds of letters.

6. The term "prisoners of conscience" was A) taken from an old article.B) criticized by the Americans.C) at first unreasonably rejected.D) first used by Benenson

7. It surprised Benenson that his article Forgotten Prisoners wasA) prohibited for political reasons.B) published on the front page.C) rejected by prisoners.D) influential for thousands of people

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAZ48vOwgDg

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3. Foreigners in the Czech Republic – opinion poll and discussion

Brainstorming – Do foreigners living in the Czech Republic bring any benefits (advantages) and detriments (disadvantages) for Czechs? Discuss in pairs/groups

In March 2014 The Public Opinion Research Centre carried out an opinion poll surveying views and attitude of Czechs towards foreigners living in the Czech Republic. If you were one of the respondents, which options would you choose? Circle the ones that most accurately reflect your attitude.

Foreigners enrich our culture YES - NO cause higher unemployment rates YES - NO help solve the problem of ageing population YES - NO significantly contribute to higher crime rates YES - NO constitute a public health threat (disease spread) YES - NO contribute to development of economy YES - NO

Compare your answers in groups and give arguments to support your opinion.What do you think the overall results were in the Czech Republic?

http://cvvm.soc.cas.cz/en/media/com_form2content/documents/c1/a7002/f3/ov140416.pdf

III. Mignonette Case

1. ListeningThe following case R. versus Dudley and Stephens concerns the right to life and the issue of how human rights are applied in everyday life. Listen to the 1st part and answer the following questions.

1. Who is who? Match. Thomas Dudley SeamanEdwin Stephens CaptainNed Brooks Cabin boyRichard Parker First-mate

2. What happened to the yacht?

3. What did they eat and drink?

4. What were the chances of survival?

Listen to the 2nd part and fill in the missing information into the summary below.Stephens was finally convinced by the captain that one of them ought to be 1. __________ and that it should be Richard Parker, as he was a(n) 2. __________ and he was dying anyway, waking from his 3. __________ only occasionally. Stephen and Dudley agreed to kill the boy but Seaman Brooks did not want any 4. __________ in the killing. He covered himself with a jacket while Dudley and Stephens knelt over the 5. __________ Parker. They held the boy´s feet but the boy was too ill to 6. __________ and they killed him 7. __________.All three men drank the blood and ate Richard´s heart and on the fourth day they were saved by a German ship. As soon as they had landed in England they went to the 8. __________ and explained the boy´s death. Although there

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had been incidents like this before, they were all 9. __________ with murder, which was later 10. __________ against Seaman Brooks.

Listening based on a recording in: Vystrčilová, Renata. English for Specific Purposes for Administrator, Hanex: Olomouc: 2006.

2. Mock Trial

A. Preparation for the trialForm three groups – prosecution, defense counsel and judges – and prepare for the trial.

Prosecution – prepare arguments against Dudley and Stephens (for conviction) Defense Counsel – prepare arguments for Dudley and Stephens (for acquittal)Judge – think and revise possible types of sentences for Dudley and Stephens (IMPRISONMENT, SUSPENDED SENTENCE, PROBATION, COMMUNITY SERVICE, LIFE SENTENCE, FINE, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, HOUSE ARREST, CORPORAL PUNISHMENT)

B. Performing a trialForm groups of three students - prosecution, defense counsel and judge.

Prosecution and Defense counsel give speeches and submit their arguments.

Judge listens to the speeches and then brings the verdict (guilty/not guilty), reasoning and the sentence.

3. Listening – the judgment

Read the judgment and translate the phrases into English.

The court vynesl rozsudek of murder on Dudley and Stephens. Trest za vraždu was death, but in this case byl změněn na odnětí svobody na 6 měsíců. By the standards of the time, and porovnáno se zacházením ostatních námořníků in a similar position, this was pořád pokládáno mnohými jako přísné.

Listen to the judgment given by the court and check your answers.

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Annex:EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,Considering the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10th December 1948;

...Have agreed as follows:

Fill in the missing words of the headlines to the text of the Convention. Beware of the prepositions, choose OF, TO, or ON.

Article 1 – Obligation _______________________ (4words) The High Contracting Parties shall secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in Section I of this Convention.

Section I – Rights and freedoms Article 2 – Right _______________________ (2words)

1. Everyone‘s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.

2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:

a. in defence of any person from unlawful violence; b. in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; c. in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.

Article 3 – Prohibition _______________________ (2words)No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 4 – Prohibition _______________________ (5words)1. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude. 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. 3. For the purpose of this article the term „forced or compulsory labour“ shall not include:

a. any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention;

b. any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service;

c. any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community;

d. any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.

Article 5 – Right _______________________ (4words)1. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the

following cases and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law: a. the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competent court; b. the lawful arrest or detention of a person for non-compliance with the lawful order of a court or in

order to secure the fulfillment of any obligation prescribed by law; c. the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for the purpose of bringing him before the

competent legal authority on reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when it is

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reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an offence or fleeing after having done so;

d. the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose of educational supervision or his lawful detention for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority;

e. the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants;

f. the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or extradition.

2. Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a language which he understands, of the reasons for his arrest and of any charge against him.

3. Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1.c of this article shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees to appear for trial.

4. Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of his detention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release ordered if the detention is not lawful.

5. Everyone who has been the victim of arrest or detention in contravention of the provisions of this article shall have an enforceable right to compensation.

Article 6 – Right _______________________ (4words) 1. In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is

entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law. Judgment shall be pronounced publicly but the press and public may be excluded from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public order or national security in a democratic society, where the interests of juveniles or the protection of the private life of the parties so require, or to the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice.

2. Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law. 3. Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights:

a. to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him;

b. to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence; c. to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing or, if he has not

sufficient means to pay for legal assistance, to be given it free when the interests of justice so require;

d. to examine or have examined witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him;

e. to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court.

Article 7 – No _______________________ (3words) 1. No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute

a criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed.

2. This article shall not prejudice the trial and punishment of any person for any act or omission which, at the time when it was committed, was criminal according to the general principles of law recognised by civilised nations.

Article 8 – Right _______________________ (7words)1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. 2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in

accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public

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safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 9 – Freedom _______________________ (5words)1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change

his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2. Freedom to manifest one‘s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 10 – Freedom _______________________ (2words) 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to

receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.

2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.

Article 11 – Freedom _______________________ (4words) 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including

the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests. 2. No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and

are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State.

Article 12 – Right _______________________ (2words) Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and to found a family, according to the national laws governing the exercise of this right.

Article 13 – Right _______________________ (4words) Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in this Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.

Article 14 – Prohibition _______________________ (2words) The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.

Article 15 – Derogation in time of emergency 1. In time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation any High Contracting Party may

take measures derogating from its obligations under this Convention to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures are not inconsistent with its other obligations under international law.

2. No derogation from Article 2, except in respect of deaths resulting from lawful acts of war, or from Articles 3, 4 (paragraph 1) and 7 shall be made under this provision.

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3. Any High Contracting Party availing itself of this right of derogation shall keep the Secretary General of the Council of Europe fully informed of the measures which it has taken and the reasons therefor. It shall also inform the Secretary General of the Council of Europe when such measures have ceased to operate and the provisions of the Convention are again being fully executed.

Article 16 – Restrictions _______________________ (5words)Nothing in Articles 10, 11 and 14 shall be regarded as preventing the High Contracting Parties from imposing restrictions on the political activity of aliens.

Article 17 – Prohibition _______________________ (4words)Nothing in this Convention may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein or at their limitation to a greater extent than is provided for in the Convention.

Article 18 – Limitation on use of restrictions on rights The restrictions permitted under this Convention to the said rights and freedoms shall not be applied for any purpose other than those for which they have been prescribed.

Based on: http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf

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