The Austrian Institute for
Human Rights was
founded in 1987. Its seat is in Salzburg. Its legal form is that of a “public
service association” with the Republic of
Austria, the Province of Salzburg
and the Catholic University Foundation
in Salzburg as members. The Director is Dr. Wolfram Karl, Professor and
head of the Institute of International Law at the University of Salzburg.
Director
Prof. Dr. Wolfram Karl, LL.M.
Staff
MMag. Philip Czech (editor of the Newsletter, documentation, computer
services, library, advisor in cases and for questions relating to human rights)
Dr. Eduard Christian Schöpfer (documentation, editorial member, editor of the „National Report“ for the Council of Europe, advisor in cases and for questions relating to human rights)
Sarah Baier (editorial member, documentation, library)
Romana Sistani (Secretariat)
The Institute opened its doors on 1 July 1987. Its
existence goes back to Recommendation (79) 16 of the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe of 13 September 1979, which encouraged the establishment
of national human rights centres in Member States. The first initiative was
taken by the Salzburg Professor of International Law, Dr. Herbert Miehsler, a well-known teacher and publicist of human
rights law. When he died in 1986, Professor DDr. Franz Matscher, who was also judge of the Human Rights Court in
Strasbourg at the time, took over and succeded in getting the Institute
established. For this credit is also owed to the then Provincial Governor of
Salzburg, Dr. Wilfried Haslauer (1926-1992) and the then Federal
Minister of Science, Professor Dr. Hans
Tuppy.
The Institute benefited especially from the support of
the Peter Kaiser-Foundation
(Vaduz/Liechtenstein) and its President, Senator Prof. DDr. Herbert Batliner, and the Hermann and Marianne Straniak-Foundation
(Sarnen/Switzerland) and its President, Barrister-at-Law Dr. Herwig Liebscher (Salzburg).
The Austrian
Institute for Human
Rights operates as a
public service association, members of which are the Republic of Austria, the Province
of Salzburg and the Catholic
University Foundation, Salzburg.
Those supporting the Institute financially may become supporting
members. Corresponding members are persons who have made outstanding
achievements in the Institute's field of work while honorary membership
may be awarded to persons who have rendered special service to the Institute.
Six times a year, the Institute publishes the "Newsletter Menschenrechte" which is
intended to give precise and timely information on the decisions of the
European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in German language. By the same
token, the Newsletter reports on judgements of the highest Courts of Austria
and those of the European Court of Justice and other international judicial and
quasi-judicial organs. In addition, it contains short articles and commentaries
on case law and legislation, as well as book reviews relating to human and
fundamental rights and a calendar of events. The annual subscription is €
51.-
and can be acquired through the Institute. Special issues deal with current
topics such as the bringing of complaints to the European Court of Human Rights
in Strasbourg.
The Institute is the National Reporter of the Council of Europe for Austria and reports
periodically on developments in case law and legislation as well as on
publications regarding human rights issues. This information is compiled in a
computer data base and available to other national centres via a Europe-wide
network. There is also a link to the human rights documentation of the Council
of Europe and other human rights centres.
The Institute is also a contact for the federal, provincial and municipal authorities in
Austria, and offers legal advice to
individuals, lawyers, complainants, courts and other public authorities on
relevant issues. Upon request it also renders expert’s opinions on legislative
projects and topical issues in human rights matters.
The Institute maintains intensive contact with other human rights institutes, especially in Central
and Eastern Europe.
The Austrian Institute for Human Rights treats significant human
rights topics in symposia and publishes them in "Publications of the
Austrian Institute for Human Rights" (N.P. Engel, Publisher, Kehl/Strasbourg)
and in special editions of its “ÖIM-Newsletter”. Since 1993, the Institute has
organised annual major lectures on Human
Rights for the broad public with the support of the Hermann and Marianne
Straniak-Foundation.
1 April 2005
Johannes Huber
"Droht
den Menschenrechten Gefahr von der naturwissenschaftlichen Forschung?"
(“Are Human Rights endangered by scientific research?”)
Straniak-Lecture No. 7
28 – 29 November 2003
International
Symposium
"Internationale Gerichtshöfe
und nationale Rechtsordnung"
(“International Courts and
national legal system“)
Edmundsburg, Mönchsberg 2, 5020 Salzburg
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights, Vol. 9,
Wolfram Karl (ed.), 2005
17 – 18. October 2003
Symposium
"Internationales, europäisches und österreichisches Asyl- und
Flüchtlingsrecht"
(„International,
European and Austrian Asylum- and Refugee Law“)
Edmundsburg, Mönchsberg 2, 5020 Salzburg
15 November 2002
Rudolf Bernhardt
"Der Schutz der Menschenrechte durch
internationale Gerichte:
Erfahrungen und Perspektiven"
(“The Protection of Human Rights through international
Tribunals – Experiences and Prospects”)
Straniak-Lectures,
Vol. 6, Franz Matscher/Wolfram Karl (eds.), 2003
18-19 April 2002
Symposium
"Erweitertes
Grundrechtsverständnis"
(“Extended Appreciation of Human
Rights”)
(In Cooperation with the Austrian
Volksanwaltschaft)
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights, Vol. 8, Franz Matscher (ed.)
7 November 2000
Ludwig Adamovich
(President of the
Austrian
Constitutional Court)
"Das
Menschenbild der Demokratie und der Grundrechte"
(„The Image of Man in Democracy
and in Fundamental Rights“)
Straniak-Lectures,
Vol. 5, Franz Matscher (ed.), 2001
16 November 1998
Marian Heitger
(Chair of the Institute for Media Pedagogy at the
International Research Centre for Fundamental Issues of Science, Salzburg)
"Menschenrechte
in der Erziehung – Erziehung zu Menschenrechten"
(„Human Rights in Education -
Educating Toward Human Rights“)
Straniak-Lectures, Vol. 4, Franz
Matscher (ed.), 1999
2 July 1997
Ceremony
"10 Years Austrian Institute for Human Rights"
„ÖIM-Newsletter“ 1997/3a
18 November 1996
Hans Tuppy
(University of Vienna)
"Das
Erbgut des Menschen – Wissen und humaner Gebrauch"
(„Human Genetic Material -
Knowledge and Human Use”)
Straniak-Lectures, Vol. 3, Wolfram Karl (ed.), 1998
15-17 September 1995
Seminar
"Vienna International Encounter on Some
Current Issues Regarding the Situation of National Minorities“
“Wiener
Internationale Begegnung zu aktuellen Fragen nationaler Minderheiten"
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 7, Franz Matscher (ed.), 1997
14 November 1994
Cornelio Sommaruga
(President of the
International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva)
“Menschenrechte in bewaffneten Konflikten”
(“Human Rights in Armed
Conflicts“)
Straniak-Lectures, Vol. 2, Wolfram Karl (ed.), 1995
14-19 March 1994
Seminar
"Die
Rechtspflege im Licht der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention unter
besonderer Berücksichtigung der Vertretung im Verfahren vor den
Konventionsorganen."
(“The
judicature in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights with special
regard to legal represenation before the Convention organs”)
(under cooperation with the
Federal
Ministry of Justice and the
Council of Europe)
“ÖIM-Newsletter” 1994/2a
22 October 1993
Jeanne Hersch
(Genevan Philosopher)
"Menschenrechte
und Menschsein: Warum hat der Mensch besondere Rechte?"
(„Human Rights and Being Human -
Why do Humans have Special Rights?“)
Straniak-Lectures, Vol. 1, Wolfram Karl
(ed.), 1994
13-14 October 1993
Seminar
"Grundrechtsschutz
und polizeiliche Effizienz – Das Sicherheitspolizeigesetz auf dem
Prüfstand"
("The Protection of
Basic Rights and Police Efficiency -
the Security Police Act on
the Stand")
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 6, Franz Matscher (ed.) 1994
18-20 October 1992
Seminar
"Ombudsman
in Europe"
"Ombudsman in Europa"
"Ombudsman
en Europe"
(on the occasion of the 5th International
Ombudsman Conference)
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 5, Franz Matscher (ed.), 1994
18-20 April 1991
Colloquium
"The
Implementation of Economic and Social Rights"
"Die Durchsetzung wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Grundrechte"
"La mise en œuvre des droits économiques et sociaux"
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights
Vol. 3, Franz Matscher (ed.), 1991
8-10 May 1990
Round Table
"Austrian-Soviet
Round Table Talks on the Protection of Human Rights"
(with representatives of the Soviet Academy of Sciences
in Moscow)
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 4, Franz Matscher/Wolfram Karl (eds), 1992
9-10 December 1988
Symposium
"The
Prohibition of Torture and Freedom of Religion - Comparative Aspects"
"Folterverbot sowie Religions- und Gewissensfreiheit im
Rechtsvergleich"
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 2, Franz Matscher (ed.), 1990
20-21 October 1988
Symposium
"Judicial
Safeguards in Administrative Proceedings"
"Verfahrensgarantien im Bereich des öffentlichen Rechts"
"Garanties judiciaires pour les procédures administratives"
Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human Rights,
Vol. 1, Franz Matscher (ed.), 1989
The Publications of the Austrian Institute for Human
Rights
as well as the Straniak-Lectures are available in bookshops or at the Austrian
Institute for Human Rights (contact).
The Institute has a well-assorted library and offers
study facilities to the interested public.