Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Law School Dean Prof. Dr. Lyra Jakulevičienė has been appointed a member of the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) from Lithuania. MRU Law School's Public Law Institute Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Juozas Valčiukas has been appointed as her Deputy. The term of office of these Law School representatives in ECRI began January 1st, 2023. 

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is a unique human rights monitoring body which specialises in issues relating to the fight against racism, discrimination xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance in Europe. The Commission prepares reports and issues recommendations to member States. The Commission operates in sessions in Strasbourg. 

Prof. Lyra Jakulevičienė has accumulated more than 20 years of experience in the field of human rights, in managerial and legal positions, in international and national organizations. She has led or acted as an expert in more than 25 research and applied projects in the field of human rights, non-discrimination, national minorities, migrants and refugee protection and other issues in the field of international and European Union law. Currently, she is also a member of the governing bodies of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2015-2019 and is the first head of the MRU Human Rights Laboratory. She has published more than 40 scientific articles in the fields of human rights, international and EU law in Lithuania and abroad. Prof. Dr. Jakulevičienė speaks English, French, Russian and Tamil.

MRU Assoc. Prof. Juozas Valčiukas is the author of scientific publications on constitutional topics relating to human rights, religion and freedom of conscience. He is a post-doctoral trainee preparing a monograph on the topic of freedom of conscience in European liberal democracies and the Muslim legal tradition. Dr. Valčiukas has trained in Great Britain, France, and the Kingdom of Jordan. He is a former adviser to the Minister of Justice, who oversaw the area of rights of national and religious minorities. He speaks English, French, Arabic and Russian.

More information on ECRI's activities can be found here.