Our Opinion

Knocking on Heaven’s Door :

creating the international community of independent

human rights defenders and civil activists «Our Opinion»

on the basis of russia’s NGO «Yakutia — Our Opinion»

 

One for all and all for one

We are interconnected and share a common destiny

One world — One life — One destiny

To be human and to live in dignity

Human Rights for a better life around the world

 

You are welcome here.

I, Stepan Petrov, Chief of NGO «Yakutia — Our Opinion» announce creation of the international community of independent human rights defenders and civil activists «Our Opinion».

The community is a transnational informal coalition of public figures around the world.

 

Power and people, state and society. In some countries, the authorities often do not respect the rights of citizens. Governments and laws work on the side of a minority — officials and their entourage.

Politicians cheat people and make empty promises at every election. Ordinary citizens are not able to understand the situation and reasonably express their discontent.

Under these conditions, civil activists and human rights defenders are the main force for protection of public interests.

I invite them to combine our efforts to solve specific problems in our countries.

You are invited to work together to eliminate violations of the law and to organize effective civilian control over power.

 

Often courts, state and law enforcement bodies of some countries work against the interests of society. Power belongs to corrupted officials, law enforcement officers and judges. Sometimes, power is usurped by military junta or mafia in some countries.

I am not afraid of dictators, corrupted officials and other violators of law. I am ready to go all the way in the enforcement of human rights.

I am ready to come to your countries to participate in human rights activities in the courts, state and law enforcement bodies.

We need to protect our rights by all possible means provided by international law, up to initiation of deploying international security forces into different countries to neutralize violators of the law in the case of exhaustion of legal remedies.

 

Community objective

Practical and methodological assistance in human rights protection in all countries of the world using international legal tools

 

Activity mainstay

Respecting the society interests and international law in all countries of the world

 

Role of international law

In many countries, the legitimate demands of citizens are recognized as illegal by corrupted officials, law enforcement officers and judges. Fair citizenship and protests against arbitrariness and lawlessness are suppressed.

The sense of using international legal tools is to reaffirm the legal position of civic activistsfrom in terms of international law, compatible with the principles of justice and legality, but denied by authorities of the country, in order to further use it in human rights activities.

International law can be the starting point for our actions and assessment of what is happening. Before choosing goals and actions We form our opinions and position, evaluating facts and events.

Next We change reality and, often, the result is different from what We expect. The reason for this is the lack of opportunities to effectively manage the situation for various reasons.

Our goals may not be achieved due to political conjuncture, legal casuistry of courts and police brutality. Our opinions and positions are could not be taken into account properly or ignored. As a result, the activity sense may be lost.

We need a landmark in this multifactorial world, where everyone has own interest.

It, as a beacon, should lead Us to the right path of justice and legality.

Our landmark can be international law which contains the universally recognized human and civil rights and freedoms.

Powerful mechanisms for human rights protection that We can use has already been created.

On the way to truth and justice, it is important not to lose Your opinion.

The opinions of individual civil activists may coincide and merge together on the basis of international law in the process of practical protection of human rights in different countries.

That is why I invite You to come together in the World Human Rights Community “Our Opinion”.

 

Our Opinion is unanimity of community members’ Opinions

Let Us state Our Opinion For Justice

On Way to Unity and Consent

 

Activity Priorities

1. Justice — respecting the equality of all before the law and ensuring that the activities of state bodies are in the public interest in order to ensure a decent life for everyone

2. Legality — respecting the law and the norms of international law by state bodies, business structures and individuals

3. Systematic approach — focusing on eliminating not only the problem itself, but also its causes at the level of law enforcement practice and legislation

4. Independence — lack of dependence on state bodies, business structures and individuals in decision-making

5. Informality — lack of formal membership and of complicated procedures for starting a case

 

Activities

1. Civil rights

2. Anti-corruption

3. Indigenous rights

 

Activity Forms

Implementation of human rights activities for:

1. Restoration of violated rights

2. Prosecution of violators

3. Improving law enforcement practice

4. Improving national legislation

5. Systematization of problems and methods of their solution.

 

Activity Results

Positive transformation of the human rights situation through:

1. Restoration of violated rights

2. Prosecution of violators

3. Improving law enforcement practice

4. Improving national legislation

5. Formation of an open base of cases and dissemination of positive experience

 

Activity Procedure

1. Submission of appeal to consider the case

2. Submission of materials on the compliance with criteria

3. Development of a legal position on the case

4. Development and submission of appeals to UN bodies and international organizations

5. Obtaining confirmation of legal position in the form of documents of the UN and international organizations

6. Application to the courts, state and law enforcement bodies of the country with the requirements to eliminate violations in accordance with international law

7. Initiation of implementing all possible measures provided by international law in the absence of positive results and exhaustion of legal remedies inside the country

 

Activity Relevance

 

The situation in the sphere of socially oriented human rights assistance is such that demand exceeds supply. There are many socially significant problems in the world that require qualified assistance.

However, large truly effective international human rights organizations cannot assist everyone. Assistance they provide is limited.

One reason for this is the high operating costs. As a rule, such organizations have large offices that require maintenance, and a large staff of qualified employees.

Most of them are located in the countries of North America and Western Europe with high living standards, leading to need to pay higher wages. They employ international lawyers whose wages are extremely high. Another limiting factor is narrow specialization of activity.

Under these conditions, they are unable to assist everyone.

Therefore, civil society in all countries and the world should be capable of self-organization.

 

Prospects for scaling up

 

The international community was created on the basis of NGO «Yakutia — Our Opinion.» Yakutia is the region of Russia where I live and my activities are carried out.

Each member of the community can create a territorial unit. Name of territory where activity is carried out (city, region, country, continent) will be added to name of organization. Territorial organizations are grouped by level: organizations of human settlements — in regional, regional — in country, country — in continental).

The activities of territorial organizations are carried out by coordinators elected by members by a simple majority vote.

Hierarchy of the organization can be represented as follows.

At the settlement level, for example, the organization “New York — Our Opinion” can be formed. At the regional level: “District of Columbia — Our Opinion”.

Further, these organizations are united in the country organization «USA — Our Opinion.» At the level of continents, country organizations can form continental organizations.

«North America — Our Opinion»

“South America — Our Opinion”

«Europe — Our Opinion»

«Africa — Our Opinion»

«The Middle East — Our Opinion»

«Asia — Our Opinion»

«Oceania — Our Opinion»

«Australia — Our Opinion»

And all the participants form a team of the international human rights community «Our Opinion», working on the principle of «One for all and all for one».

As we work, our community can reach the stated scale.

At a certain stage, it is possible to conduct legal registration of the community with headquarters in a country with the most favorable conditions for effective activity. Community members can also register branch offices in their countries.

Experienced community members will form replaceable (on-duty) team to organize human rights activities in different countries.

It is necessary to create an internationally recognizable image of the organization.

So that our participation in various cases means a qualitative improvement in the human rights situation, restoration of violated rights and prosecution of violators.

 

After getting acquainted with Activity Procedure , You can appeal to consider your case.

For this, You can send an appeal and materials

to e-mail post@ouropinion.pro or

mail: box 70, PO 27, Yakutsk, Russia 677027.

You can also call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

phone number +7 (914) 224-24-11.

Contact person is Stepan Petrov.

The language of communication is English.

To save money on international calls, you can call via

WhatsApp +7 (914) 224-24-11 and Skype Stepan_Petrov

These channels can be used for information exchange (files, videos, photos).

For the convenience of communication, it can be taken into account that the difference between GMT and time of my location — Yakutsk (Russia) is +9 hours.

 

I also suggest to get acquainted with  International experience and approaches where You can find information on my work at global level as well as approaches and working methods in the following areas:

1. Civil rights

2. Anti-corruption

3. Indigenous rights

 

You can make your suggestions, recommendations and comments.