MONTHLY OVERVIEW ON HUMAN RIGHTS – July, 2025

In July, various reactions emerged from civil society organizations and platforms. At the outset of July,
the Blueprint Group for Judicial Reform articulated grave concerns regarding the manner in which the Judicial Council of the Republic of North Macedonia (JCRM) conducted the election of the acting
president of the Basic Criminal Court Skopje.

The Network for Protection against Discrimination responded to the Draft Law on Religious Schools by
asserting that it constitutes an unconstitutional, legally inconsistent, and perilous attempt to compromise the secular nature of the state.

On July 7, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights appealed to the Ministry of Health to refrain from implementing informal restrictions on media operations. Furthermore, the committee encouraged journalists to persist in reporting with professionalism, ethical considerations, and sensitivity towards the victims of the Kocani tragedy, while maintaining a clear sense of responsibility towards the public interest. Any efforts to restrict these principles are viewed as undermining the rights and freedoms of all citizens.

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights has strongly condemned the physical and verbal assault directed at the Mayor of Skopje, Danela Arsovska, which transpired on July 11 during an official inspection of an illegal construction site. In this context, the Committee has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, accountability for the police officers who failed to respond appropriately at the scene, criminal charges against the perpetrators, and suitable proceedings against them.

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights criticized the Parliament’s decision not to vote on the Resolution demanding Israel permit food and medical supplies into Gaza.