event by Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS Following a significant increase in the Court. number of migrants arriving at the border ARBITRARY DETENTION from Belarus in August, Lithuania declared a state of emergency in November, which was Abu Zubaydah, a Palestinian national extended until January 2022. detained in Guantánamo Bay, submitted a By the end of the year, Lithuanian border petition in April to the UN Working Group on guards had reportedly forcibly returned over Arbitrary Detention, and in November to a US 8,000 migrants to Belarus since August. federal court, calling for his release. In 2018, Migrants were held in poor conditions in the European Court of Human Rights had camps.The prime minister announced plans ruled against Lithuania for its deliberate to build a barrier separating Lithuania and facilitation of Abu Zubaydah’s enforced Belarus. Construction began in November. disappearance and torture in a secret CIA On 1 December, the European Commission prison that it hosted between 2005 and published proposals allowing Lithuania to 2006. By the end of the year, Lithuania had derogate from EU rules for six months. The still not yet fully implemented the court’s measures allow Lithuania to extend the decision. registration period for asylum application and simplify returns, thereby weakening asylum protections. MADAGASCAR On 23 December, parliament voted to increase the six-month detention limit, Republic of Madagascar introduced in July, to one year for migrants Head of state: Andry Rajoelina entering Lithuania from Belarus. Head of government: Christian Ntsay WOMEN’S RIGHTS The severe drought in southern Madagascar The issue of Lithuania’s ratification of the had a devastating impact on a wide range of Council of Europe Convention on preventing human rights, including the rights to life, and combating violence against women and health, food, water and sanitation. At least domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) was 2,747 prisoners were pardoned but excluded from the parliamentary session in detention facilities remained overcrowded, March. and conditions poor. Media workers were GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE harassed for reporting on subjects such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Gender-based Domestic violence remained widespread and violence, particularly against women and was exacerbated during the Covid-19 girls, was widespread and abortion pandemic. In March, the parliamentary remained criminalized. LGBTIQ+ people Ombudsman’s Office published its 2020 continued to face discrimination. annual report, which concluded that BACKGROUND provision of assistance to victims of domestic violence was insufficient. In June, the security forces said they prevented an alleged assassination attempt LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS on President Andry Rajoelina and other In May, parliament narrowly voted against members of the government, including the debating a bill – the “partnership law” – to then minister of interior and decentralization, legalize same-sex unions. the minister of national defence and the In September, the city of Kaunas held its minister of communication and culture. first LGBTQ+ march. The local authorities, Dozens of people, including national police which had refused to issue a permit, lost an and military personnel, were investigated for appeal and were ordered to authorize the Amnesty International Report 2021/22 239