Newsroom
Secretary General condemns attacks on Carcassonne and Trèbes, France
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement today: "I strongly condemn the attacks on the soil of our host country, France. These cowardly attacks have targeted civilians as well as law enforcement officials. I salute the courageous action of the latter and express the...
Preventing ill-treatment during police custody and pre-trial detention
The Danish Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is organising a seminar in Copenhagen on 22 and 23 March to discuss ways to strengthen the prevention of torture and ill-treatment during police custody and pre-trial detention, the time when persons are most at risk from...
34th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
The members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will meet in Strasbourg, France, from 27 to 28 March 2018 for their 34th Session placed under the theme “rights-based governance at local and regional level”. Congress members will discuss in particular the...
Russia : Anti-corruption watchdog calls for more transparency and public accountability amongst parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors
In a new report published today (in English and Russian), the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) says corruption has long been a serious pervasive problem in Russia. Whilst acknowledging some important legislative and policy steps, GRECO identifies a number of...
Stronger, more independent equality bodies needed to combat intolerance and discrimination in Europe, says anti-racism commission
To better protect and support people exposed to discrimination, states should put in place strong equality bodies established by constitutional or parliamentary legislation, set up as separate legal entities with a wide mandate, enjoying political, financial and operational independence, and...
Intercultural Cities in Action : International Day Against Racial Discrimination
Fighting discrimination and upholding human rights is not only a legal obligation of Council of Europe members states but a moral, social, and economic necessity for inclusive and well-functioning European societies. Cities and local authorities are key in this regard. In a European context more...
European prisons are almost full, according to latest Council of Europe survey
European prisons are on average close to full capacity, with inmates occupying over 9 out of ten available places, according to the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE) for 2016, published today. The survey shows that the incarceration rate grew from 115.7 to 117.1 inmates per...
Tackling challenges in protecting athletes’ human rights in the fight against doping in sport
“The Council of Europe has pioneered the fight against doping at international level, with a first Resolution adopted already in 1967 by our Committee of Ministers. The Anti-Doping Convention that followed was the first legally-binding text on this subject”, said Deputy Secretary General...
Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Imralı Prison (Turkey)
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has published a report on its April 2016 visit to the high-security prison on the island of Imralı in Turkey, where Abdullah Öcalan and three other prisoners are being held. The report says that, compared to the CPT’s previous...
Abolishing limits on presidential re-election is a step back in democratic development, says Venice Commission
In its new report on presidential term limits, the Venice Commission says re-election is not a human right as such, but a modality of the right to be elected. The Venice Commission is in favour of presidential term limits in presidential and semi-presidential regimes. They help prevent the abuse...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The committee adopted 24 decisions concerning 15 member states at the end of its regular three-day meeting in...
Ukraine: new financial disclosure requirements for NGOs and activists likely to have chilling effect on civil society, should be fully reconsidered
Stringent financial reporting and disclosure requirements for public activists, coupled with severe sanctions, are likely to have a chilling effect on civil society in Ukraine and should be removed in their entirety or significantly narrowed down, said the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR in...
Slovak Republic: adopt a bolder approach to ensure inclusive education and strengthen the safety of journalists
Today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, concluded a visit to the Slovak Republic which focused on inclusive education of children with disabilities and Roma children. At the same time, since the visit took place shortly after the murder of investigative...
SRSG on migration and refugees: fact-finding mission to Spain
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Ambassador Tomáš Boček, will be conducting a fact-finding mission to Spain from 18 to 24 March 2018. The Special Representative will visit migrant temporary stay facilities and centres for children in the...
Serbia has not implemented any of the recommendations on preventing corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors
Serbia has not implemented in a satisfactory manner any of the thirteen recommendations provided by the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) to the country in July 2015, according to the new compliance report published today. GRECO specifically...
The Group of States against Corruption publishes two reports on Turkey
The Council of Europe’s 49-member Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published two reports assessing Turkey’s record on preventing and combatting corruption. With few exceptions, GRECO notes a worrying lack of progress in many areas. In the first report, GRECO expresses concern about...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 13 to 15 March. Information on the cases to be examined at the meeting is available here. Decisions taken by the...
Human Rights Commissioner concerned by certain provisions of draft law on immigration and asylum in France
In a letter to members of the French National Assembly published today, Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks expresses concern at the risk of violations of the rights of migrants, including asylum seekers, if the provisions of the draft law for managed immigration and an effective right...
Don't obstruct ratification of Istanbul Convention!
In a video message to mark International Women’s Day 2018, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, underlines that politicians and opinion makers should promote an honest and well-informed public debate about the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against...
International Women’s Day (8 March)
Statement by Karen Ellemann, Minister for Equal Opportunities of Denmark, on behalf of the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
Anti-torture Committee publishes a report on Belgium
CPT calls for improved prison conditions, better care for psychiatric internees and stronger action against police brutality
8 March: “I too can make equality happen”
On 8 March 2018, as International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world, the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, which brings together members of parliament from Council of Europe member States, acknowledges the progress that has been achieved towards greater equality between...
The Council of Europe adopts its Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023
On 7 March 2018, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted the new Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023. The Strategy renews the Organisation’s commitment to address current and emerging challenges and remove barriers towards achieving substantive and full gender...
New guidelines on media pluralism and transparency of media ownership
The Council of Europe has issued guidelines to its 47 member states aimed at assisting them in the promotion of media pluralism and transparency of media ownership. In a Recommendation adopted today, the Committee of Ministers underlines that advances in modern technology have a profound impact...
Protecting human rights online: new guidelines on internet intermediaries
The Council of Europe today adopted policy guidelines addressed to its 47 member states on the roles and responsibilities of internet intermediaries such as search engines and social media. The power of such intermediaries as protagonists of online expression is such that their role and impact on...
Istanbul Convention: clearing away the fog of misconceptions
In recent months, several Council of Europe member states have shown “cold feet” in moves to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (more commonly known as the "Istanbul Convention"). Although almost every single member...
Joint statement - International organisations commit to building broader support for human rights
With the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 70 years ago, governments around the globe committed to making peace, democracy and justice a reality for all. We, national, regional and international institutions have worked towards that objective, striving to improve the life of...
Anti-corruption body calls on Portugal to speed up reforms to prevent corruption among MPs, judges and prosecutors
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), calls on Portugal to step up its efforts to improve its legal framework to prevent corruption in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors. This report, which assesses Portugal’s compliance with the...
Children in migration need information on reality, not just on rights, says a new report
Children in migration at all the stages of their journey to Europe should receive child-friendly and understandable information, which nevertheless must reflect the realities and difficulties they may face in the new environment, says the Council of Europe in a new report published today. The...
Extending rights, responsibilities and status to same-sex families: trends across Europe
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Government officials, non-governmental organisations and independent experts are meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark on 2 March 2018 for a conference to discuss equal opportunities and rights in private and family life for lesbian, gay,...
Greece: anti-corruption group offers praise and criticism
In two reports published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) mixed praise with criticism regarding Greek efforts to fight corruption in both the legislative and judicial branches of government. One of the two reports – Corruption prevention in respect of...
Trafficking in human organs: Council of Europe convention enters into force
Secretary General Jagland calls on states to join the treaty
Anti-torture committee publishes a report on Portugal
In a report on Portugal published today, the Council of Europe's anti-torture committee (CPT) urges the Portuguese authorities to take determined action to prevent police ill-treatment and to provide prisoners with safe and decent living conditions. During its 2016 periodic visit to the country,...
San-Marino, Spain, Sweden: new reports by anti-discrimination body
According to the new report by European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published today, San-Marino has made progress on access to naturalisation, criminalising discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and on data collection. However, San Marino still has no criminal...
Anti-corruption group says that Germany still lags in efforts to make party financing more transparent
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) reiterates previous critiques from earlier reports concerning the transparency of party financing in Germany in a just published “addendum”. Of 20 recommendations, nine have been “implemented satisfactorily or dealt with in a...
Special Representative on Migration and Refugees Tomáš Boček publishes first activity report
Migration in Europe: Call for united political will, commitment to Council of Europe standards and durable solutions
Stressing gender perspective in drug policy at first-ever Mexico meeting
This week, the Council of Europe's drug policy experts The Pompidou Group highlight the importance of “mainstreaming” gender perspective to drug policy. Assessing negative consequences that especially women and girls face – including unequal access to health care and social services, as well as...
Anti-corruption body visits Romania to conduct urgent evaluation of reform of the judiciary
A delegation from the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO) visited Romania on 21 and 22 February as part of an ad hoc urgent evaluation concerning the recently proposed or adopted legislation in the area of the judiciary from the perspective of the fight against...
Serbia: Concerted efforts needed to address the legacy of the past, protect media freedoms and ensure inclusive education
Declaration by Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks, following a four-day follow-up visit to the country
Combatting human trafficking by “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
Progress in legislation and practices, more needed to lower risks for children and migrants
National minorities: Romania should step up efforts to combat Roma discrimination
The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has urged the Romanian authorities to step up their efforts to combat discrimination, against the Roma in particular, and to improve the protection of national minorities in a number of areas. In a new...
Meeting of Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland with Italian Justice Minister Orlando
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and Minister of Justice of Italy Andrea Orlando had an exchange of views today at the Palais de l’Europe to discuss current developments and issues of common interest. The Secretary General and the Minister underlined the excellent co-operation between Italy...
Sweden should enhance protection of asylum seekers and persons with disabilities
“Sweden’s renewed commitment to participate in the relocation of asylum seekers and to increase resettlement are positive signals, but it’s time to lift the restrictions imposed on asylum seekers at the height of the 2015 migration crisis”, says the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human...
Enforcing Strasbourg Court’s judgments concerning the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova
The execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights requires genuine dialogue between all those capable of providing effective redress to victims of violations in the Transnistrian region of the Republic Moldova. "We need to be creative and break the vicious circle of legal...
Slovenia: new report on combatting human trafficking
In its new report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking expert group (GRETA) note improvements in legislation and practices to combat human trafficking in Slovenia since the publication of the first report in January 2014, and said that more should be done to help victims. The...
“Free European Media” conference in Gdansk, Poland
Over 150 journalists, representatives of national media regulators and press councils, as well as academics, politicians, and civil society activists are gathering at the Solidarność Centre in Gdansk, Poland for a conference on “Free European Media”. The event, taking place on 15-16 February, has...
Turkey: Secretary General Jagland meets Turkish leadership in Ankara on 15-16 February
Speech to the candidate judges and prosecutors of the Justice Academy
Protection of children against sexual abuse in the circle of trust: workable strategies
In a new report published today, the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Committee analyses the strategies used by 26 European countries(*) to protect children against sexual abuse in the circle of trust (extended family and persons close to the child who exercise influence over the child). According...
Irish student wins European Eloquence Prize
The 2018 Prix européen de l’Eloquence, an annual contest of public speaking in French, has been won by Irish student John Finn, who spoke on the theme of “To dark thoughts, green answers?”. Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni chaired the jury, which awarded the...
Training on reception and integration of migrants and refugees for local authority officials in Athens
On 8-9 February 2018 in Athens, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), together with the municipality of Athens, is co-organising a training session for local authority officials on their interaction with refugees and migrants in terms of emergency...
Sexual abuse of children: recommendations to Hungary
Today, the Council of Europe Lanzarote Committee published its recommendations to the Hungarian authorities on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in the transit zones at the Serbian-Hungarian border. According to the legislation adopted in Hungary in March...
Invest in education and language acquisition to build a cohesive society, says Commissioner Muižnieks in Skopje
“The Macedonian authorities should implement policies that encourage interaction and understanding between ethnic communities and promote social cohesion while protecting diversity,” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, after a five-day follow-up visit to “the...
Training on integration of refugee and migrant children in mainstream education
On 2-3 February 2018, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), together with the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the municipality of Athens, is organising a training session on one of the most challenging questions in the...
Protection of National Minorities in Slovenia
Slovenia duly protects the Italian and Hungarian national minorities, but more efforts needed to improve situation of Roma, fight increase in hate speech
Ukraine: New report on combatting money laundering and terrorism financing
Tangible progress achieved, changes to legislation and practices required
GRETA’s new report on Serbia
The authorities must do to more to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking, improve assistance to victims
Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and for the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity
On 27 January 1945, the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau – where more than one million people had been sent to gas chambers to perish during the Holocaust – was liberated. We mark this “Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and for the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity” to honour the...
Data Protection Day
On 28 January the Council of Europe will celebrate the Data Protection Day, which marks the opening for signature in 1981 of the Council of Europe’s data protection convention, “Convention 108”. More than 50 countries around the world have already signed up to the convention, which sets out key...
Time to renew our commitment and halt the deterioration of human rights
“In 2017 the human rights situation continued to deteriorate in many European countries. Old crises deepened, new crises emerged and commitment to human rights values and standards seemed to weaken”, said today Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights while presenting...
Austrian President reiterates attachment to the Council of Europe and its values
In his speech, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen made a strong commitment to Europe and its values, and reiterated Austria’s attachment to the Council of Europe. “Without the principles this organisation stands for,” he said, “we cannot have the Europe that we all want.” He stressed...
Ceremony to mark International Day of Holocaust Commemoration
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen led tributes to the memory of Holocaust victims, at a ceremony outside the main Council of Europe building in Strasbourg. Other participants who made addresses and laid wreaths in front of the commemorative stone...
Dunja Mijatović elected Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Dunja Mijatovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was today elected as the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights by the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) at its plenary session in Strasbourg. Ms Mijatovic was elected for a non-renewable term of six years starting on 1 April 2018. She...
Danish Prime Minister urges further reform of the European Convention
Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has called for further reform of the European Convention on Human Rights – and urged member States to apply it more effectively at national level. Addressing PACE at its plenary session in Strasbourg, the Prime Minister said it was necessary to “reform...
Serzh Sargsyan: ‘A 4th Summit for a stronger and more inclusive Europe’
“Democracy constantly requires attention, review, and advancement. Along the lines of this logic, we undertook a constitutional reform process in Armenia, which received wide-ranging support of the Council of Europe, in particular from the Venice Commission,” said Serzh Sargsyan, President of...
European Committee of Social Rights: annual conclusions for 2017
ECSR finds 175 violations related to health, social security and social protection in 33 countries in 2017
PACE calls for an independent outside body to assess football governance
The Parliamentary Assembly has called on the EU to consider setting up an independent “observatory” to assess governance in football, following a series of scandals in the sport. Such a body would be entrusted with assessing governance at FIFA, UEFA and other football governing bodies, including...
Danish Chairmanship affirms its support in a difficult context
“The Danish Chairmanship intends to work closely with both the Assembly and the Secretary General at a time when our Organisation is facing several major challenges,” said Anders Samuelsen, Minister for Foreign Aaffairs of Denmark and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers, speaking before the...
Crown Princess of Denmark: we cannot take our human rights for granted
The protection of human rights cannot be taken for granted, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark told the Assembly today, stressing the need for the principles and values underlying them to be passed on to new generations. “Although human rights are inherent to us all, they are also fragile… we must...
Secretary General to PACE: member states have equal obligations and equal rights
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has called on the Organisation’s member states to recommit themselves to fulfill their obligations and cooperate in good faith with the Council’s statutory bodies. He said “equal obligations – equal rights” was the only concept that would keep...
Michele Nicoletti from Italy elected new PACE President
Michele Nicoletti (Italy, SOC) was today elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Taking over from Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), he is the 31st President of the Assembly since 1949 and the second Italian to hold this office. There was only one...
Safety of Journalists' Platform: a grim record in 2017
Partners alert about grim record in 2017 and urge to investigate Daphne Caruana's murder
Parliamentary Assembly Winter Session: 22-26 January 2018
The Presidents of Armenia and Austria, as well as the Prime Minister and the Crown Princess of Denmark, are among VIPs to address the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 22 to 26 January 2018. The Assembly is also due...
Romania: little progress in corruption prevention in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) concludes that Romania has made very limited progress to implement its recommendations to prevent and combat corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. (report in French and Romanian)...
The right of older persons to dignity and autonomy in care
“Older persons have exactly the same rights as everyone else, but when it comes to the implementation of these rights, they face a number of specific challenges”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today. “For...
European Roma Rights Centre receives Raoul Wallenberg Prize for combating racism, rights abuse
The Budapest-based organisation European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) has received today the Raoul Wallenberg Prize of the Council of Europe for successfully challenging discrimination, anti-Romani racism and rights abuses of Roma through innovative litigation, evidence based research and policy...
Study finds that intercultural cities have higher well-being and citizen satisfaction
Since 2008, the Council of Europe, through its flagship programme Intercultural Cities, has supported more than 120 local authorities in Europe and around the world, in designing and implementing inclusive policies and strategies for migrant and refugee integration according to the Intercultural...
Raoul Wallenberg Prize award ceremony
On Wednesday, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will award the Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg Prize for extraordinary humanitarian achievements. The award ceremony will take place at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg at 1.pm on 17 January (Ante-Room of the Committee of Ministers). 17...
FIFA and the Council of Europe to promote human rights
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland met in Strasbourg today to discuss how to better promote human rights in sport. The meeting followed an exchange of views between the FIFA President at the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers....
Spain: limited progress in measures to tackle corruption in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO today published a report assessing Spain’s compliance with its recommendations to prevent and combat corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. Four years after the adoption of the Fourth round evaluation report in...
Secretary General Jagland urges Bucharest to rethink reform of the judiciary
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has today sent a letter to the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, urging the authorities to seek the expertise of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission (European Commission for Democracy through Law) regarding the legislative reforms on the judiciary...
Armenia: Council of Europe anti-corruption body issues a new compliance report
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) has published today a new report assessing the implementation by Armenia of its earlier recommendations on preventing corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. GRECO concludes...
Gender equality in employment is still a distant promise in Europe
End-of-the-year statement by Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks
Statement on International Migrants Day
Integration of migrants is Europe’s present and future opportunity
Fake news and fractured trust
Council of Europe joins UN panel at Internet Governance Forum, among other activities
Ending the trade in instruments of torture
“A frightening arsenal of instruments of torture are still being manufactured, sold and marketed in a number of Council of Europe member States,” Vusal Huseynov (Azerbaijan, EPP/CD) told the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, on 12 December 2017 in Paris. “Thumbcuffs, spiked batons...
Violence against Women: Joint communiqué from OECD, Council of Europe, European Commission and UN
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and UN Women agreed on the global action to combat violence against women. These institutions reaffirmed today their full commitment to eliminate gender based violence and discussed...
Venice Commission: Gianni Buquicchio re-elected president
In its final plenary session, on 8-9 December, the Council of Europe's European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) elected its president and vice presidents to two-year terms. Re-elected President for the fourth time in a row, Gianni Buquicchio (Italy) has presided over the...
The Gender Equality Tour de France comes to the Council of Europe
Live Webcast As part of the Gender Equality Tour de France, the French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, and the State Secretary with responsibility for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa, will be discussing equality between men and women with 300 students and young people...
International Human Rights Day
Statement by Anders Samuelsen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Chair of the Committee of Ministers
Venice Commission tackles Polish judicial reforms and Ukrainian education law, among other issues
In an opinion on Poland adopted today, the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law (“Venice Commission”) found that the cumulative effect of proposed reforms to two laws and recently adopted amendments to a third law “puts at serious risk” the independence of “all parts” of the...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions now online
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The committee adopted 39 decisions concerning 18 member states at the end of its regular three-day meeting in...
Working Group of the Council of Europe and the Turkish Ministry of Justice
Conclusions of the meeting on 7 December in Strasbourg
Human Rights Day 2017
Jagland and Timmermans call for European states to recommit to human rights standards
MONEYVAL publishes a report on the Holy See
Holy See has made progress in combatting money laundering, but needs to step up efforts to obtain prosecutions
A dark year on the anti-corruption front
On the eve of the International Anti-Corruption Day, celebrated on 9 December, the Chair of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), Marin Mrčela, made the following statement: “2017 has been a dark year on the anti-corruption front. There have been many allegations of corruption in public...
Anti-torture Committee visits the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out a visit to the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation from 28 November to 4 December 2017. It was the Committee’s twelfth visit to this Republic.
Committee of Ministers launches infringement proceedings against Azerbaijan
The Committee of Ministers of the 47-nation Council of Europe has launched infringement proceedings against Azerbaijan due to the authorities’ continuing refusal to ensure the unconditional release of opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov following a judgment from the European Court of Human...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee member states’ execution of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights from 5 to 7 December. Information on the cases to be examined at the meeting is available here. Decisions taken by the committee...
Progress needed to ensure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe
“Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights are human rights. Regrettably, however, women in Europe still have these rights denied or restricted as a result of laws, policies and practices that ultimately reflect continuing gender stereotypes and inequalities. States must acknowledge and...
Belarus: Anti-corruption body publishes summaries of reports on criminalising corruption and transparency of political funding
Today, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), has published summaries of two new monitoring reports on Belarus: the evaluation report on criminalisation of corruption and on transparency of political funding as well as the report on compliance...
