Newsroom
International Day of Democracy 2017
Statement from Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland
Committee of Ministers calls for effectively preventing and combating female genital mutilation and forced marriage
The Committee of Ministers today called on member states to step up efforts to prevent and combat female genital mutilation and forced marriage across Europe, as it adopted a guide on good practices. Female genital mutilation and forced marriage violate fundamental rights enshrined in the...
School segregation still deprives many children of quality education
“The right to education is a fundamental human right. Yet, many European countries still deny thousands of children, including children with disabilities, Roma children and refugee or migrant children, equal access to it by keeping them in segregated schools. This is a violation of children’s...
Council of Europe experts discuss freedom of expression and terrorism with the Turkish authorities
On 7 and 8 September 2017, the working group between the Council of Europe and the Turkish Ministry of Justice met in Ankara to discuss issues relating to freedom of expression and the fight against terrorism in Turkey. The Council of Europe experts also held exchanges with members of the...
European Heritage Days 2017
Celebrating the intrinsic relationship between people and nature
Anti-Torture Committee examines conditions in police stations, prisons and psychiatric establishments in Italy
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published today a report on its periodic visit to Italy (see also the executive summary), together with the Italian Government’s response. The CPT notes the broad reform...
Respecting fundamental rights, security forces and fight against terrorism
Conference held by Council of Europe and French Defender of Rights
Council of Europe joins forces with International Peace Institute
The Council of Europe and the International Peace Institute (IPI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on building peace and democracy. Director General of Democracy Snežana Samardžić-Marković signed on behalf of the Council of Europe at the IPI’s Salzburg Forum “Mapping of...
ECHR: monitoring an employee’s electronic communications amounted to a breach of his right to private life
The European Court of Human Rights has held that there was a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to respect for private and family life, the home and correspondence) in the case of Bărbulescu v. Romania. The case concerned the decision of a private company to...
Revision of the Constitution of Georgia
Statement by Venice Commission President Gianni Buquicchio
Meeting of Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and President Emmanuel Macron met today at the Elysée Palace to discuss current developments in Europe and issues of common interest. The President and the Secretary General underline the excellent cooperation between the host nation France and the...
The long march against homophobia and transphobia
“Summer is the time of Pride marches. The numerous marches in Europe are a testament to the ground-breaking progress toward acceptance of the equal rights of lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights,...
Secretary General Jagland meets President Macron at the Elysée on 31 August
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, will meet the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday. Topics of discussion include: The important role of France as host nation of the Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights; European...
Statement on the arrest of Mehman Aliyev in Azerbaijan
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has today made the following statement in response to the arrest of journalist Mehman Aliyev: “I have been informed that Mehman Aliyev, a prominent journalist and editor-in-chief of the renowned news agency Turan, was detained...
Terrorist attacks in Spain
Statement by Lubomír Zaorálek, Chair of the Committee of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Violence in Barcelona is an attack on Europe’s freedom and democracy
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today issued the following statement, “Innocent people – children, adults, residents and visitors to one of Europe’s most attractive touristic cities have been hit by cowardly acts of violence. I strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Barcelona. The...
Hungarian higher education law: requirements for already operating universities “highly problematic” say Venice Commission experts
In a preliminary opinion issued today, the Council of Europe’s legal experts of the Venice Commission note that in general the regulations of Hungary’s higher education law are in line with usual European practice but criticise that many requirements of the law are overly stringent or even...
Ukraine has made promising reforms to fight corruption, but now it must deliver
A new report published today by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) encourages Ukrainian authorities to pursue anti-corruption reform efforts it had launched following the Revolution of Dignity and calls for effective results to be delivered in practice. GRECO warns...
Slovenia: more money-laundering investigations needed to tackle serious crimes
The number of money-laundering investigations has risen in Slovenia since the last evaluation in 2010, but it is still not commensurate with the number of investigations and convictions for proceeds-generating crimes, such as tax evasion, fraud and other economic crimes, as well as drug...
Council of Europe honours victims of Roma Holocaust
Today in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe held a commemorative wreath-laying ceremony in memory of Roma victims of the Holocaust. This year marks the 73rd anniversary of 2 August, 1944, when some 3,000 Roma were exterminated in the gas chambers of the so-called “Zigeunerlager” (Gypsy camp) at...
