Newsroom
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...
Le Tour de France de l’Egalité fait étape au Conseil de l’Europe
Retransmission en direct Dans le cadre du Tour de France de l’Egalité, la Ministre chargée des Affaires européennes, Nathalie Loiseau, et la Secrétaire d’État chargée de l’Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes, Marlène Schiappa, débattront de l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes avec 300...
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...
2017 North-South Prize
The laureates are the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Vice President and Finnish Red Cross Secretary-General
10 Years (2007-2017) of Intercultural Cities: Making Diversity Work for Cities
Milestone event in Lisbon
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November)
Declaration by Karen Ellemann, Minister for Equal Opportunities, on behalf of the Danish Chairmanship
Liechtenstein should improve gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, welcomed the solid legal and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of human rights in Liechtenstein, which has been strengthened by the establishment in January 2017 of the Association for Human Rights...
Albania and Denmark: Policies on violence against women and domestic violence assessed in new reports
On the eve of the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) publish their first-ever evaluation reports on Albania and Denmark. For Albania, GREVIO welcomes a...
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner: shortlist announced
The Committee of Ministers has submitted today a shortlist of three candidates for the post of Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner to the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly. The candidates are, in alphabetical order: - Mr Goran KLEMENČIČ (presented by Slovenia) - Mr Pierre-Yves LE...
Secretary General in Madrid to commemorate 40th anniversary of Spain's accession
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is in Madrid today to speak at the opening of an event in the Spanish Parliament to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Spain´s accession to the Council of Europe, on 24 November 1977. The Secretary General said that “over the last 40 years Spain has developed a...
Protocol on transfer of sentenced persons opened for signature
Five states signed today a new protocol aiming to modernise and improve the European legal framework for the transfer of sentenced persons. Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland were the first to sign this new treaty which amends the Additional Protocol to the Convention on the...
Reconciliation stalled in the Western Balkans
“After having visited all the countries of the Western Balkans, I am concerned that reconciliation has stalled and is being superceded by mounting ethnic divisions and polarisation in the region”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights...
Poland: progress made against human trafficking, but labour exploitation not sufficiently addressed
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking expert group (GRETA) assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Poland in May 2013 on the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human...
Protecting children from sexual risks online: Council of Europe experts offer quick tips to parents
Ahead of the European Day to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, marked on the 18th of November, the Council of Europe has published a series of online video tutorials to protect children from the new risks of sexual nature they encounter online, and help them safely...
Lifeline for volunteers helping refugees and migrants
Tens of thousands of volunteers across Europe who are struggling to teach their language and culture to new refugees and migrants have been offered a lifeline. At last, free teaching materials adapted to refugees’ special needs have been developed and are being launched online by the Council of...
Secretary General Jagland attends Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is attending a major European Summit to promote fair jobs and growth. The Social Summit is taking place on Friday 17 November in Gothenburg, Sweden, and is jointly organised by the European Commission and the Swedish government. The summit was...
Anti-torture committee issues a report on Spain
Anti-torture committee acknowledges some positive steps in Spain, but calls for ending fixation in prisons and juvenile centres
GRETA report on Belgium: the authorities asked to improve the identification of child trafficking victims
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published today its second evaluation report on Belgium. The report assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Belgium in September 2013 as regards the...
CPT signs monitoring agreement with International Criminal Court
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has concluded an Exchange of Letters with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to monitor the treatment of persons sentenced by the Court. Under the terms of the Exchange of...
Committee of Ministers: the Czech Republic hands over chairmanship to Denmark
The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from the Czech Republic to Denmark, at a meeting at the Organisation's Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States. Before handing over the chairmanship to his successor, the...
MONEYVAL publishes a report on Andorra
MONEYVAL welcomes reforms in Andorra to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, but calls for some improvements
Eastern Partnership: Council of Europe and EU present joint project results
The Council of Europe and the European Union have presented results for their joint projects in the six Eastern Partnership countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The projects, conducted under the Partnership for Good Governance initiative, were aimed...
Malta should step up efforts to enhance protection of women’s and migrants’ rights
“I welcome the government’s efforts to combat domestic violence in Malta. The transposition into domestic law of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, currently debated in parliament, is a decisive step forward. However, more...
Council of Europe Democracy Innovation Award goes to Russian investigative newspaper The Insider
Today, at the closing session of the World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its Democracy Innovation Award was the initiative The Insider. The Insider is an investigative newspaper that seeks to provide its readers with information about the current...
Council of Europe partners with leading technology companies to promote respect for human rights
The Council of Europe will strengthen its co-operation with the private sector in order to promote an open and safe internet, where human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are respected. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland signed the agreement – in the form of an exchange...
Preventing corruption in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors – Conference in Prague
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic are organising a conference in Prague on 9 and 10 November to discuss stepping up the implementation of measures to prevent corruption in respect of Members of Parliament, judges...
Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities should spare no effort to build a truly cohesive society and effectively protect media freedom
“The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina should lay the foundations for a more cohesive society by tackling the disruptive legacy of the war. It is particularly crucial to step up the prosecution of wartime crimes and uphold the human rights of all civilian war victims, especially internally...
PEN International joins Council of Europe platform to protect journalists
The Executive Director of PEN International, Carles Torner, today signed the agreement to join the Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists with the Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland. The platform allows trusted media freedom organisations to...
Council of Europe pledge to promote gender equality for Roma and Traveller women in politics
Participants attending a Council of Europe conference on Roma and Travellers are pledging to promote gender equality for Roma and Traveller women in politics. The Council of Europe pledge takes into account that electoral quotas are often an effective means of achieving significant, rapid...
European Conference of Judges "Judicial Integrity and Corruption"
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland will open the European Conference of Judges: "Judicial Integrity and Corruption", to be held at the Council of Europe on 7 November 2017. This conference, organised by the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) will allow to...
Andorra should improve measures to prevent corruption in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors - GRECO report
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) concludes that Andorra’s framework to prevent corruption amongst members of parliament, judges and prosecutors is generally satisfactory, but calls for a number of improvements. GRECO welcomes Andorra’s efforts to...
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Denmark
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, made an official visit to Denmark on 3 November where he met the Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anders Samuelsen, the Minister for Justice Søren Pape Poulsen and the Minister for Equal...
2017 Exchange on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue
“Migrants and refugees: challenges and opportunities - What role for religious and non- religious groups?”
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Council of Europe
President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed France’s support for the Council of Europe and its institutions during a visit to the organisation’s headquarters in Strasbourg, where he met the Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland before making a speech at the European Court of Human Rights. During a...
Tackling disinformation in the global media environment – new Council of Europe report
A report published today by the Council of Europe examines the way in which dis-information campaigns have become widespread and, heavily relying on social media, contribute to a global media environment of information disorder. Whilst acknowledging that the direct and indirect impacts of...
World Forum for Democracy: ‟Is Populism a Problem?”
At this time when democracy is being undermined by people’s lack of trust in politicians and elites in general, the World Forum for Democracy 2017, being held from 8 to 10 November, will focus on the role of political parties and the media in the context of rising populism. One year after Donald...
2017 Crystal Scales of Justice Prize goes to Norwegian Court Administration
The Council of Europe has rewarded the Norwegian Court Administration the 2017 Crystal Scales of Justice prize for its initiative “Witness Service in Norwegian courts”. The Prize, which rewards innovative judicial practices in the European judicial institutions, was given on the occasion of the...
The situation of German minority in Denmark rather satisfactory, but media presence and general awareness need to be improved
The German language is in a rather satisfactory position in Denmark with regards to education and cultural life. However, German is hardly ever used before the courts; there is a lack of radio and television programmes in German, and of public awareness of the German minority in general. These...
Ending restrictions on family reunification: good for refugees, good for host societies
“Many refugees have to leave family members behind when they flee their homes. This adds more hardship to the trauma of exile”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today. “Once they have found safety in Europe, being...
Ilgar Mammadov case: Council of Europe notifies Azerbaijan of intention to launch a special procedure for the execution of the judgment
The Committee of Ministers of the 47-nation Council of Europe has formally notified Azerbaijan of its intention to launch legal action related to the implementation of the Ilgar Mammadov v. Azerbaijan judgment from the European Court of Human Rights. The court ruled in May 2014 that the arrest...
Ending sexual exploitation and abuse of children: towards a world of trust
Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention celebrates its 10th anniversary
Italian Justice Minister Orlando signs “Blood Antiquities” Convention
The Minister of Justice of Italy, Andrea Orlando, signed today with Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni the new Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property (CETS No.221), known as the “Blood Antiquities” Convention. The Convention on Offences relating to...
Council of Europe launches Twitter campaign against illegal bird killing
The Council of Europe’s Bern Convention is launching a social media campaign to raise awareness on illegal bird killing. The launch coincides with a report by the BirdLife Partnership which underlines the extent of this environmental crisis. An estimated 36 million birds are illegally killed...
Secretary General appalled by attack against Russian journalist
Secretary General Jagland is appalled by the violent attack against Tatiana Felgenhauer, Deputy Editor of Ekho Moskvy, which took place on the premises of the well-known Russian radio station. The Secretary General wishes to express his support to Ms Fegenhauer, who is now hospitalised, and to...
Social rights committee condemns local authority housing in Ireland
The European Committee of Social Rights has partially upheld a complaint from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) against Ireland concerning local authority housing. The committee found Ireland to be in violation of the European Social Charter on the grounds that the government...
GRECO issues recommendations to prevent corruption to INGOs Conference
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published today an assessment of the framework to prevent corruption and address conflicts of interest of the Council of Europe's Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs). GRECO recommends a number of measures, including...
Testimonies and debate on reception of unaccompanied migrant children in European towns
On 18 October 2017, during its 33rd session, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe held a debate on the reception of unaccompanied migrant children in European towns. Yoomi Renström (Sweden, SOC) commented that although, in this year’s statistics, the number of...
Belgium: Congress adopts report on local democracy in a context of linguistic diversity in the municipalities with language facilities
On 19 October 2017, in Strasbourg, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe examined a report on the functioning of the organs of local democracy in a context of linguistic diversity in the “communes with facilities” in the Flemish region around Brussels (Belgium)....
Petr Mlsna: “Supporting local and regional democracy is a top priority of the Czech Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers”
Deputy Minister for Legislation and Archiving, Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Petr Mlsna, presented the key priorities of the Czech Chairmanship during the 33rd Congress Session in Strasbourg, on 18 October 2017. Among them, Mr Mlsna pointed out the importance of supporting...
Report: The situation of migrants and refugees in Serbia and transit zones in Hungary
“Thousands of migrants and refugees who travelled along the Western Balkans’ migration route in 2015 and 2016 are now stranded in Serbia in a precarious legal situation” says the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees Ambassador Tomáš Boček in a report published...
Telephone conversation of Secretary General Jagland with Turkish Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today had a phone conversation with the Turkish Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül. They discussed the latest developments regarding human rights defenders, including the Director and Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Idil Eser and Taner...
Thorbjørn Jagland: “Member states have a duty to ensure Council of Europe principles are respected”
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, today addressed Congress members during their 33rd Session in Strasbourg, France. “Our Organisation, which covers the European continent from the Atlantic to Vladivostok, promotes fundamental standards, particularly those of the...
First evaluation of Greece’s compliance with the Council of Europe’s Anti-trafficking Convention: progress made, but gaps remain
In its first report on Greece, the Council of Europe’s expert group against human trafficking (GRETA) praises positive steps taken by Greek authorities to combat human trafficking, but also highlights a number of shortcomings. GRETA welcomes the adoption of anti-trafficking legislation, the...
Murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Statement by Secretary General Jagland
Turkey: Anti-torture committee publishes report on 2015 visit to immigration detention centres
At the request of the Turkish authorities, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has today published the report compiled following its visit to a number of immigration detention centres in the country in June 2015. The report notes that the visit took place at a...
Switzerland should reinforce its human rights protection framework and better respond to the needs of vulnerable migrants
Reinforcing the institutional and legal framework for safeguarding and promoting human rights and enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers are the key recommendations addressed to the Swiss authorities by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, in a...
Women in power: Major inequalities remain across Europe
European countries are still struggling to achieve gender balance in public decision-making, according to a new report from the Council of Europe. The report looks at progress made by 46 countries towards the goal set by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in 2003 of having at least...
Commissioner urges Azerbaijan to investigate allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in Baku
Today Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks published a letter sent on 9 October to Ramil Usubov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, in which he calls for thorough investigations into serious allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in...
Republic of Moldova: important advances on addressing domestic violence, but more progress needed in justice reform
Declaration by Human rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks at the end of his five-day visit to the country
33rd Session of the Congress
Unaccompanied refugee minors, local and regional democracy, situation in Catalonia and fight against corruption amongst the highlights
Ukrainian law on education: implementing the conclusions of the Venice Commission
The Assembly today expressed its concern about the articles relating to education in minority languages of the new Education Act recently adopted by Verkhovna Rada and deplored the fact that “there was no real consultation with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine”. While noting that...
The role of internet intermediaries as gatekeepers to freedom of expression – Conference in Vienna
The role and responsibilities of internet intermediaries, which critically influence the way we receive and impart information in the digital age, will be the focus of a conference on internet freedom, organized by the OSCE and the Council of Europe in Vienna on Friday 13 October. The function of...
CPT publishes highly critical report on prisons in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
In a report published today on its December 2016 visit, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) strongly criticises the conditions of detention and treatment of inmates at Idrizovo Prison, which holds some 60 % of the...
Germany ratifies Council of Europe convention to end violence against women
Monitoring procedure to be strengthened as a result
Call for Fourth Summit and harmonised rules for member states’ participation in the Organisation’s statutory bodies
PACE today unanimously called for a Fourth Council of Europe Summit to preserve and further strengthen the pan-European project in a Europe which has profoundly changed since the last Summit 12 years ago. Such a Summit of Heads of State and Government should define, at the highest political...
Petro Poroshenko: Ukraine is fighting on two fronts – one military, the other for reform
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said his country is fighting a war on two fronts at the same time – one to counter military aggression and restore its territorial integrity, and the other to implement difficult and complex reforms. Addressing PACE today in Strasbourg, he hailed his...
