Newsroom
Anti-racism commission issues new reports on Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Italy, Lithuania and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published today several country reports. In Azerbaijan, against the background of the general attitude of openness towards many historical minorities, some positive legal developments and the authorities’ efforts in integrating...
Secretary General welcomes the adoption of Norwegian law on legal gender recognition
Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland made the following statement following the adoption of a new law on legal gender recognition in Norway: “Yesterday the Norwegian Parliament adopted a new law on legal gender recognition based on self-determination. Norway becomes the fourth Council of Europe...
Committee of Ministers examines implementation of human rights judgments
The representatives of the 47 member States of the Council of Europe will examine the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights between 7 and 9 June 2016. This supervisory role of the Committee of Ministers is provided for under Article 46 of the European Convention on...
Statement of Secretary General Jagland on the terrorist attack in Istanbul today
"Again a deadly attack in Istanbul has killed and injured so many innocent people in the nation's largest city. I am devastated by the news and cannot but repeat that these ruthless attacks are attacks on our values - on us all. I express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the families, the...
Torture survivors have the right to redress and rehabilitation
Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks publishes his latest Human rights Comment
Secretary General meets Georgian President
On 6 June 2016, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland met in Strasbourg Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Georgia. The meeting focused on the situation in the country in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2016; amendments to the Georgian law...
Conclusions of an expert dialogue between the Polish Government and the Council of Europe
Within the framework of an expert dialogue with the Polish authorities the Council of Europe entrusted Ms Eve Salomon, legal expert on media related law and regulation, and Mr Jean-François Furnémont, Partner at Wagner-Hatfield consultancy and former Chair of EPRA (European platform of regulatory...
Security and safety in stadiums: Council of Europe launches a new convention
In the run-up to the EURO 2016 football tournament, the Council of Europe is kicking off a new international convention aimed at ensuring that football matches and other sports events take place in a secure, safe environment where everyone feels welcome. The convention, which the governments are...
Action against corruption: France could do better
In a report on corruption prevention in respect of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors published today, the GRECO, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, concludes that France has only implemented two of the eleven recommendations made in 2013. In its conclusions, GRECO lists a number...
Jagland: Ukraine’s Constitutional amendments a major step towards European standards
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland today welcomed the adoption by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada of the amendments to the Constitution regarding the Judiciary: “I welcome the adoption today by the Verkhovna Rada of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine related to the...
Deputy Secretary General opens Sports’ Conference in Vienna
Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni opened today the EPAS (Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport) annual conference in Vienna, together with Austrian Minister of Defence and Sport Hans Peter Doskozil. The event focused on how sport can be used as a tool to...
Council of Europe calls on Liechtenstein to ratify the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption
Group of States against Corruption also calls on the country to make political funding transparent
GRECO publishes its annual report
The Chair of the Council of Europe´s anti-corruption body GRECO, Marin Mrčela, has stressed the need for mobilising policy-makers to address the shortcomings identified in the prevention of corruption prevention in respect of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. In its annual report,...
Secretary General concerned about Internet censorship
Rules for blocking and removal of illegal content must be transparent and proportionate
Nationalism “surge” has negative impact on minorities in Croatia
Although progress also noted in new Council of Europe report
European countries have to prioritise migrant integration
“In the wake of the arrival of over one million people seeking protection in recent months, European countries share the common, pressing need to get integration right” said Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a report on migrant integration. “After...
Pedro Agramunt: "Greece needs our full support"
“The Greek authorities must cope with a disproportionate share of Europe’s responsibility to care for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers,” said Pedro Agramunt, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today, leading a delegation visiting both Athens and Lesvos on...
Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees visits Turkey
The Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees, Ambassador Tomáš Boček, is conducting a fact-finding mission to Turkey from 30 May to 4 June 2016 to assess the situation of refugees and migrants and identify areas where the Council of Europe could be of concrete...
Statement by the Secretary General on reforms in Ukraine
Secretary General Jagland reiterates that the Council of Europe is on the side of Ukraine and its people, as the country take steps to put in place a fully independent, efficient and professional judicial system. ”As we reach the midterm of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine, I take...
Growing anti-immigrant sentiment and Islamophobia among key 2015 trends
The ongoing migration crisis and the terror attacks were the key factors that influenced public debate and policies in Europe in 2015, said the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in its annual report published today. With Europe is witnessing an unprecedentedly high number...
Secretary General meets Greek PM Tsipras
As part of his official visit to Greece, Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland met with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The Secretary General also met the President of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the Minister of Justice, Nikos Paraskevopoulos and the the Speaker of the Parliament, Nikos Voutsis. ...
Declaration by the Committee of Ministers on the death penalty in Belarus
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe deeply deplores the third death sentence passed by a Belarusian court in 2016, this time against Siarhei Vostrykau, on 19 May. It recalls that capital punishment contravenes the principles set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and...
Unaccompanied minor refugees: local participation and inclusion
Unaccompanied minor refugees’ local participation and inclusion are the focus of a meeting at the European Youth Centre held by the Council of Europe’s Youth Department and an international network Voices of Young Refugees in Europe (VYRE) on 23-27 May 2016. Some 40 participants, including...
Pedro Agramunt warmly welcomes release of PACE member Nadiia Savchenko
“The release of my fellow PACE member Nadiia Savchenko is excellent news,” said Pedro Agramunt, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “I commend both Russia and Ukraine for making this possible, and I look forward to welcoming her in Strasbourg soon – perhaps...
Secretary General on the release of Nadia Savchenko
Council of Europe Secretary General Jagland said on release of Nadia Savchenko this was “a good development, also from a humanitarian perspective, but also of course because Nadia Savchenko is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe”. He hoped that it would “lead to...
Council of Europe experts urge Jersey to increase money laundering convictions
Jersey has a mature and sophisticated regime for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism, as well as an internationally-recognised mechanism to ensure transparency of beneficial ownership information. However, the number of money laundering convictions and confiscations is...
World Humanitarian Summit: Council of Europe commitment
Attending the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made this commitment today on behalf of the Council of Europe: Leaving No One Behind – A Commitment to Address Forced Displacement Core Commitment 4: Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on...
Deputy Secretary General on official visit to Armenia
In the context of the launch of the Council of Europe and Armenia Action Plan for 2015-2018 in Yerevan, the Deputy Secretary General met with Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan on 20 May to discuss cooperation on constitutional and electoral reform, reforming the judiciary, fighting ill...
No Hate is in the air: young people talk youth-friendly politics
More than 7,000 young people are getting together in Strasbourg on 20-21 May 2016 to exchange ideas on fighting political apathy among young people; to discuss and test innovative ways of engaging young people in decision-making around issues that affect them; and to learn from each other’s...
Committee of Ministers meets in Sofia
The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member States met in Sofia on 18 May. The session was chaired by Daniel Mitov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers. Rossen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, addressed...
Bulgaria hands over Committee of Ministers’ chairmanship to Estonia
The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers passed from Bulgaria to Estonia, at the end of a session held on 18 May in Sofia and attended by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states. The outgoing Chair, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov, presented the...
International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia
Harassment of LGBTI children must have no place in schools, says Secretary General
Research on biological materials of human origin: new recommendations to member States
A new set of recommendations to the Council of Europe member states on the removal, storage and use of biological materials for research purposes was adopted by the Committee of Ministers yesterday. It takes into account new developments in the field of biobanking, such as the increasingly...
New handbook on “intercultural mediation” for Roma communities just published
The Council of Europe has just published a new handbook on a human rights based approach to promote “intercultural mediation” in Roma communities. The 127-page ROMED1 Trainers’ handbook is based on five years of work from the Council of Europe and European Commission joint initiative “ROMED1...
The death penalty in Belarus: Declaration by the Committee of Ministers
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, like the Secretary General, deeply deplores the execution of Syarhey Iwanow in Belarus on 7 May 2016. It recalls that capital punishment contravenes the principles set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the European...
Andorra: sustain progress on children and women’s rights and bolster human rights structures
“Andorra has a very advanced system of inclusive education, whereby all children, including those with disabilities and from migrant families, learn together with other children and are supported as necessary. However, further efforts are required to enhance the overall protection of children’s...
Migrants and refugees: report on Greece and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
Action needed to improve living conditions for and to protect unaccompanied children
Rights of LGBTI people: preventing emergence of parallel societies
Without smart policies to foster equality and promote mutual understanding and respect in Europe, parallel societies emerge: people living alongside one another, rather than living together. Supporting its member States to build truly inclusive societies is the goal of the Council of Europe, said...
Irregularly present migrants
“Firewalls” needed to prevent denying human rights through sharing personal data
CPT visits prisons affected by strikes in Belgium
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has just completed a visit from 7 to 9 May 2016 to penitentiary establishments in Belgium where a large number of staff were absent due to industrial action and...
Chair of the Committee of Ministers and Deputy Secretary General on official visit to Georgia
Chair of the Committee of Ministers Daniel Mitov and Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni paid an official visit to Georgia in order to hold high-level meetings and to launch the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia for 2016-2019. In Tbilisi, Daniel Mitov and Gabriella...
Secretary General speaks out against death penalty in Belarus
Council of Europe Secretary General regrets another execution in Belarus, calls for moratorium on death penalty
World Press Freedom Day, 3 May
Council of Europe Secretary General calls on European states to ensure that defamation legislation does not silence the media
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Denmark
Meetings with H.M. Queen Margrethe II, Prime Minister Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Jensen, Minister of Justice Pind
Azerbaijan court decision on Ilgar Mammadov “deeply disturbing”: Jagland
Azerbaijan should honour its commitments under the ECHR
Croatia: High time to create a tolerant and inclusive society
Declaration by Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks at the end of his five-day visit to the country
Thorbjørn Jagland: Europe’s human rights and security at risk through populist nationalism
Human rights, democracy and security are threatened across the continent, according to the latest annual report from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland. “Europe is currently struggling with many serious challenges, including terrorism, migration and conflict. This...
Biomedicine: co-operation, education and training are essential to ensure better protection of human rights
At an international conference organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, ethical, legal and health professionals, together with representatives of relevant authorities, agreed on the need for more experience-sharing, co-operation and public dialogue...
Ban of Mejlis risks targeting Crimean Tatar community as a whole
Secretary General Jagland made the following statement: "I am very concerned by the decision taken today by the Court of Simferopol to declare the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People an “extremist organisation” and to ban it. In a report recently prepared by a Human Rights delegation that I sent...
Crimea: Commissioner urges a reversal of the ban on the Mejlis
"I am very concerned about today’s court decision in Crimea to ban the Mejlis by declaring it to be an extremist organisation. As the highest representative body of the Crimean Tatars, the Mejlis is indissociable from their aspirations to reestablish themselves in the peninsula after decades of...
Congress concludes mission to assess local and provincial elections in Serbia
A 12-member delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe concluded today an Electoral Assessment Mission focussing on the local and provincial part of the vote organised in the Republic of Serbia on Sunday. The delegation - which was joined by two...
Statement by Daniel Mitov on Leyla and Arif Yunus
“I welcome the decision of the Azerbaijani authorities to allow Leyla and Arif Yunus to travel to the Netherlands for medical treatment. This constitutes a positive step following the recent decision of President Aliyev to pardon a number of political activists, journalists and human rights...
Secretary General visits Estonia prior to Council of Europe Chairmanship
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is paying an official visit to Estonia on 26 April to hold meetings with the President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marina Kaljurand, and the Minister of Justice, Urmas Reinsalu. He will also meet the Estonian delegation to PACE. A...
Maria Elena Boschi: the presence of women in our institutions is not of secondary importance
“Over the past two years, Italy has made a number of reforms with a view to enhancing women’s political participation and ensuring a better gender balance in the institutions,” today said Maria Elena Boschi, Minister of Constitutional Reforms and Relations with the Parliament of Italy, at the...
Georgian Prime Minister underlines Georgia’s embrace of European values
In a speech to Council of Europe parliamentarians today, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili outlined the ways in which his country had embraced European values. “We have made our choice,” he told the Assembly, “we have come a long way to be part of a Europe whole and free […] In joining...
Council of Europe launches action plan to strengthen judicial independence and impartiality
Justice ministers from across Europe have given their backing to the Council of Europe’s new 2016-2021 action plan on strengthening judicial independence and impartiality. At a conference held in Sofia, justice ministers from the Council of Europe’s 47 member states and representatives of the...
José Manuel Garcia-Margallo: « L’Espagne est et restera un membre du Conseil de l'Europe fiable et prévisible »
« L'Espagne est et restera un membre du Conseil de l'Europe fiable et prévisible », a déclaré aujourd'hui devant l’APCE le ministre espagnol des Affaires étrangères, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo. « Le monde et l'Europe se portent mieux qu’il y a 70 ans. Les citoyens européens se sentent plus en...
Daniel Mitov: "intolerance and hatred undoubtedly represent a threat to our democracies"
“Governments and political leaders should refrain from using xenophobic rhetoric linking migrants to social problems or security risks, thereby making the integration of the few migrants staying in the country even more problematic”, said Daniel Mitov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and...
Anti-torture Committee visits “hotspots” in Greece
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out an ad hoc visit to Greece from 13 to 18 April 2016. The purpose of the visit was to examine the situation of foreign nationals deprived of their...
Our fundamental values may not be sacrificed in the fight against terrorism, says Austrian President
Speaking on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Austria’s membership in the Council of Europe, the Austrian President Heinz Fischer underlined the importance of the 47-nation organisation as an irreplaceable platform where new forms of intergovernmental and parliamentary co-operation were and...
Dialogue du Secrétaire Général du Conseil de l’Europe avec les membres de l’Assemblée
Thorbjørn Jagland a répondu aux questions des parlementaires au cours d’un exercice de questions-réponses organisé dans le cadre de la session de printemps de l’Assemblée. Lors de cet échange, les membres de l’Assemblée se sont intéressés au récent rapport de M. Jagland sur la situation des...
Girona in Spain is the winner of the 2016 Europe Prize
The 2016 Europe Prize – the highest level of the Prize which is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to the town most active in promoting the European ideal – has been awarded to the town of Girona (Spain). Girona is very active in its many initiatives...
Council of Europe standards ‘a guiding light’ for Turkey, pledges Turkish Prime Minister Davutoğlu
Addressing PACE today, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told parliamentarians: “Turkey is an inseparable part of Europe”. He said Turkey saw the Council of Europe as one of its main partners in bringing about future reforms, and declared that the Council’s standards – including those of the...
Jean-Claude Juncker : "Le Conseil de l’Europe est un partenaire majeur de l’Union européenne"
« Le Conseil de l’Europe et l’Union européenne sont construits sur les mêmes fondations et les mêmes idéaux », a déclaré Jean-Claude Juncker, Président de la Commission européenne, en s’adressant aujourd’hui à l’Assemblée. « Nous devrons toujours tirer parti de ces points communs », a-t-il...
Moscow hosts Council of Europe conference on human rights and biomedicine
20th anniversary of Russia’s membership with the Council of Europe
Strengthening judicial independence and impartiality: Council of Europe presents action plan, 2016-2021
Council of Europe Secretary General Jagland and Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister Mitov to open the conference
Le Président de l'Assemblée parlementaire appelle à faire bloc face au terrorisme
Dans son discours d’ouverture de la session de printemps de l’Assemblée parlementaire aujourd’hui à Strasbourg, Pedro Agramunt a mis en garde contre l’adoption de mesures et de politiques restrictives radicales. « Face à une attaque barbare, la réaction la plus immédiate consiste souvent à durcir...
Human rights in Europe: Do not leave the battlefield
Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks presents his annual activity report for 2015
Council of Europe works for a human rights compliant drug policy – in Europe and beyond
By Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland The forthcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (19-21 April) is an unprecedented opportunity to acknowledge the shortcomings of the “war on drugs”; to draw on the achievements in drug policy since the UN last...
Secretary General Jagland concerned by Islamophobic statements of “AfD” party in Germany
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has warned that recent statements by the leaders of Germany’s “Alternative für Deutschland” (AfD) are “contrary to European values, values which Germany as a founding member of the Council of Europe has always strongly supported”....
Secretary General Jagland: statement on the decision by the Prosecutor in Crimea to suspend the Mejlis
Responding to the decision by the Prosecutor in Crimea to suspend the Mejlis, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “I strongly urge that no action is taken to restrict the Mejlis’s activity or to label it extremist. The Mejlis must be able to continue its activities in Crimea. The human...
Secretary General welcomes confirmation of the new Ukrainian government
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, made the following statement today: “I welcome the confirmation by the Verkhovna Rada today of the new government of Ukraine headed by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, following the renewal of the parliamentary coalition. “I...
International Press Institute joins Council of Europe platform to protect journalists
The International Press Institute (IPI) today became a partner to the Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, through which media freedom organisations inform the Council of Europe and disseminate information on alleged violations of media freedom. The...
Crimea must be re-opened to regular Council of Europe monitoring to safeguard the human rights of 2.5 million people
Ambassador Stoudmann presented on 13 April to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe the report on his recent human rights visit to Crimea. The report is a result of a visit by a Council of Europe delegation sent by Secretary General Jagland to Crimea after 18 months during which...
Turkey: security trumping human rights, free expression under threat
Statement by Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks at the end of his visit to Istanbul, Diyarbakir and Ankara
Anti-torture committee calls upon states to review the treatment of life-sentenced prisoners
In its annual report, published today, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) calls upon the 47 Council of Europe’s member states to review their treatment of life-sentenced prisoners according to the individual risk they present, and to provide for their possible...
Council of Europe recommends states to regularly evaluate their level of Internet freedom
The Committee of Ministers today adopted a Recommendation to its 47 member states encouraging them to periodically prepare national reports evaluating their level of respect for human rights with regard to the Internet, and to share their findings with the Council of Europe. The recommendation...
Council of Europe adopts guidelines to protect media freedom and journalists
The Council of Europe today adopted a set of guidelines aimed to ensure the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists in its 47 member states. In a Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers – the organisation´s decision-making body- encouraged states to review their national...
Le Secrétaire Général Jagland rencontre Manuel Valls
La lutte contre le terrorisme, une priorité commune
Democracy through education: European ministers back new tool
Education ministers from across the continent have given their backing to a new tool to help teach democracy and democratic values in schools and other settings. Following a two-day conference in Brussels, representatives of the 50 countries covered by the European Cultural Convention also agreed...
New Council of Europe/EU cooperation agreement for the Western Balkans and Turkey
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, and the European Union’s Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, today made the following statement: “We are happy to announce that the European Commission and the...
New European Roma Institute to promote Roma and Travellers’ cultural heritage
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement on the occasion of International Roma Day. “45 years ago, Roma people from across the world came together for the first World Romani Congress, near London, to congregate around their common identity. “Today...
European education ministers to discuss new teaching tool for promoting democracy
Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Education, Brussels, 11-12 April 2016
Nominations for UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award 2016
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the re-opening of nominations for the 2016 Nansen Refugee Award, from Tuesday 5 April to Monday 25 April. The award is bestowed on a person or group for outstanding work on behalf of the forcibly displaced, and aims to...
Escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region
Statement by Daniel Mitov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
In times of crisis, Europe cannot afford to disregard children’s rights
With the new challenges Europe is facing today, governments cannot afford to put children’s rights on the backburner, said participants of the Council of Europe conference that started in Sofia today. “Keeping Europe anchored in democracy, universal human rights and the rule of law is our...
Secretary General on official visit to Poland
Yesterday 4 April, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland had meetings with: The President of Poland, Mr Andrzej Duda The Prime Minister, Ms Beata Szydło The Speaker of the Sejm Mr Marek Kuchciński The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Witold Waszczykowski The Minister of Justice, Mr...
Businesses begin to recognise their human rights responsibilities
The effects of business practices on human rights have become a central issue for human rights protection. For a long time already, concerns have been raised about malpractices related to labour rights, health and safety at work and the use of child labour by some business enterprises. Later on,...
Secretary General Jagland urges return to Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire
Statement by Council of Europe of Secretary General Jagland: "I am dismayed and deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities at the contact line in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. The Council of Europe urges both sides to stop this totally unnecessary bloodshed which leads nowhere except...
Deputy Secretary General at 500th anniversary of the Ghetto in Venice
Deputy Secretary General has taken part in the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Ghetto in Venice and in the opening of the exhibition on the European Route of Jewish Heritage. Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni unveiled a commemorative plate by the Council of Europe at the local Jewish...
Anti-torture Committee calls on Belgium to tackle prison overcrowding and the adverse impact of strikes on inmates
In a report published today, the Council of Europe's anti-torture committee (CPT) calls on Belgium to solve its chronic problem of prison overcrowding and to take measures to ensure that strikes of prison staff do not have a negative impact on inmates. During its visit to Belgium in 2013, the CPT...
Cyprus should enhance refugee protection and alleviate effects of austerity measures on human rights
“Despite some progress made in immigration law and policy, Cyprus’ asylum system still suffers from a number of shortcomings that need to be urgently redressed”, said today Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a report based on his visit to Cyprus...
Supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
Committee of Ministers publishes 9th annual report: Positive trends continue in 2015 – new record number of cases closed
Death penalty in Japan
In a Statement adopted today, the Committee of Ministers representing the 47 Council of Europe member states deplores the execution of Yasutoshi Kamata and Junko Yoshida in Japan on 25 March 2016. The Committee of Ministers recalls that capital punishment contravenes the principles set out in the...
Protecting and empowering people on the Internet - New Internet Governance strategy
The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers today adopted its Internet Governance Strategy for 2016-2019, which aims to tackle the challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the rapidly evolving online environment. With the strategy, the Council of Europe endeavours to help the...
Paris joins the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities Network
The City of Paris today became a member of the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities Programme, which provides support for the establishment of local strategies for managing diversity and integrating migrants and minorities. “I welcome the decision of the City of Paris to join the network of...
Statement by the Committee of Ministers on the terrorist attacks in Turkey and Belgium
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing the governments of the 47 member States, today condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attacks carried out in Turkey and more recently in Belgium. In a Statement, the Committee of Ministers paid homage to the memory of the...
New challenges for children rights in Europe in focus of high-level conference in Sofia on 5-6 April
The refugee influx, rapidly developing digital environment, economic crisis – all these new challenges that Europe is facing today create new risks for human rights of children. How the member States of the Council of Europe can best address these challenges will be the key theme of a high-level...
Ukraine: accountability for serious human rights violations is key to reconciliation process
Statement by Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks following his visit to Ukraine in March 2016
Congress adopts Recommendation following 2015 local elections in Ukraine
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe held a debate based on the findings of the observation mission of the local elections in Ukraine on 25 October 2015. Following the debate, the Congress adopted a Recommendation focusing on electoral reform and progress of...
