Newsroom
Secretary General condemns terrorist attacks in Turkey, conveys condolences
Statement on the Istanbul bomb attacks
Turkey : state of emergency justified but measures taken excessive - Venice Commission
An opinion adopted today by the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts – the Venice Commission – concludes that Turkish authorities had been confronted “with a dangerous armed conspiracy” and had “good reasons” to declare the state of emergency, but that measures taken by the Government...
Lithuania: ensure better protection for persons with disabilities, children and victims of domestic violence
“I welcome the commitment expressed by the authorities to move away from the practice of placing children without parental care and people with disabilities in institutions. However, many persons continue to live in an institutional environment. The authorities should intensify their efforts to...
International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December
To mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, the president of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), Marin Mrčela, today made the following statement: “Combating corruption is not only a matter of new laws, but also a matter of ethics and individual behaviour,...
Hate speech is not free speech, says Secretary General ahead of Human Rights Day
Speaking ahead of Human Rights Day on 10 December, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has warned that hate speech and free speech should not be confused. “We look back at what has been achieved and we think of the many people who have endured hardship and given...
Abolition of death penalty and public opinion
The death penalty is a violation of fundamental human rights: the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. It does not deter crime more effectively that other punishments, and it is impossible to ensure that innocent people are not executed. The...
National human rights structures: protecting human rights while countering terrorism
Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks publishes his latest Human Rights Comment
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Moscow for talks with President Putin, Foreign Minister Lavrov
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is visiting Moscow on 6-7 December 2016 with an official visit to meet with the President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Speaker of the Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation...
Counter-terrorism operations in the South East of Turkey caused widespread human rights violations
“Numerous human rights of a very large civilian population in South-Eastern Turkey have been violated as a result of curfews imposed and anti-terrorism operations conducted there since August 2015. I call on Turkey to stop using curfews in such a manner, investigate all allegations of human...
Under-representation of women in political life undermines democratic processes in the Eastern Partnership countries: new study
Democracy should apply to all women and men equally, concluded participants at an international conference that took place in Kyiv on 1 December, where a new regional study on the situation in Eastern Partnership countries was presented. The event focused on women’s political representation in...
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
In the run-up to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December), the head of the 47-nation Council of Europe has called on European governments to draw on the newly-adopted Disability Strategy (2017-2023) to make human rights a reality for all. Secretary General Jagland said:...
Mexico to join the Council of Europe’s drug policy platform The Pompidou Group
Mexico will become the 39th member of the Council of Europe’s drug policy cooperation platform The Pompidou Group, it was announced today by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. Earlier this month in Venice, Ambassador Santiago Oñate Laborde of Mexico presented Mexico’s drug policies...
Council of Europe at the 2016 Internet Governance Forum
The protection of privacy and personal data continue to face unprecedented threats – linked to mass surveillance and other risks. Cybercrime is increasing as the internet and communication technology develop across borders. International co-operation and the effective implementation of legally...
Hungary should make money-laundering fight a greater priority
The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body (MONEYVAL) in its report published today, welcomes that the number of investigations and prosecutions for money laundering in Hungary are on the rise. However, it considers that the fight against money laundering...
Budapest ministerial sports conference
Council of Europe and WADA sign partnership agreement
Ministerial sports conference in Budapest: a unified approach to integrity in sport
Speaking at the opening of the conference, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, stressed the need for a unified approach to integrity in sport to address challenges: “there will be no progress on match-fixing unless governments agree to, and...
Ireland: advance equality of Travellers and women
“I am deeply concerned at the persisting social exclusion and discrimination Travellers are confronted with in Ireland”, said the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks today, concluding a three-day visit to the country. With Travellers having been affected in a gravely...
End violence against women: 25 November
25 November : International campaign for the elimination of violence against women. The Human Rights Channel website includes an “Actions” page which asks you to share this message on the web and on social media. >Help us to help them!
New opinion on the role of court presidents
The Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) adopted an opinion on the role of court presidents. In this Opinion, the CCJE clarifies the role of court presidents concerning the representation of the court, relations within the court with other judges, and presidents’...
Refugees speak out at Lisbon Forum, amid calls to improve coordination of humanitarian aid
Refugees from Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria explained their experiences at this year’s Lisbon Forum, as calls were made to improve coordination to assist them as humanitarian crises continue. Adam, a 26-year-old Syrian student in Portugal, explained how programmes like the Global Platform for...
