We are starting a new chapter at the Human Rights League. Our outgoing Program Director, Miroslava Mittelmannová, is succeeded by lawyer and migration and asylum law expert Lukáš Novák.
Lukáš studied law and European studies at Masaryk University in Brno. He has been with HRL for several years. Throughout his asylum law practice, he has represented dozens of individuals in legal proceedings, supported victims of hate crimes and provided expert commentary on legislative amendments. Following the 2021 takeover in Afghanistan, he participated in evacuating individuals to Slovakia and from the very first hours of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he coordinated our helpline for displaced persons. He has conducted training for members of the Slovak Bar Association as well as university students and has long represented our organization in international networks such as PICUM, ECRE and EUAA. In recognition of his professional work and contributions to asylum law, he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in the Social Innovators and Public Administration category.
"My vision is for the Human Rights League to remain a courageous and trusted organization, one that not only defends the rights of people with lived experience of migration, but actively shapes migration and asylum policy in Slovakia. In the coming period, we face major challenges, from asylum system reform to rising societal polarization and negative attitudes toward foreign nationals. However, I am convinced that through a human-centered approach, expertise and the rigorous protection of fundamental rights, the Human Rights League will navigate these challenges and continue contributing to an open, just, and democratic society," says incoming Program Director Lukáš Novák.
Our outgoing Program Director, Miroslava Mittelmannová, has been with the Human Rights League since its founding in 2005 and served as Director from May 2022. She took the position in the aftermath of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, co-chaired the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Protection Working Group, advocated for systemic reform, provided input on legislation and served as an ambassador for the Bring Kids Back UA initiative advocating for the return of deported Ukrainian children. She currently continues her academic work at the Faculty of Law at Trnava University, where she directs the Asylum Law Clinic and the Migration Law Clinic.
For further information, please contact us at hrl@hrl.sk.
