In her statement at the Congress session, Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, took stock her six-year mandate, stressing that she had “witnessed a marked deterioration in people’s ability to enjoy their human rights.”
COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh region were just some examples of the erosion of the rule law and violations of human rights mentioned by the Commissioner. She also pointed to cases of such erosion at local level, such as politically motivated arrests of mayors or local councillors or the unjustified banning of candidates from participating in elections.
According to her, one of the major concerns was the fact that even local authorities sometimes ignored international human rights standards and took measures that contradicted their legal obligations.
“The erosion of the rule of law is most evident in the area of migration, where practices that undermine the dignity and rights of individuals are increasingly common. Pushbacks, inadequate responses to maritime tragedies, inhumane reception conditions and restrictive family reunification policies, while not new, are now occurring with alarming regularity and intensity,” stressed the Commissioner.
She highlighted in particular a decline in respect for basic legal principles in the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Nevertheless, during her mandate and visits to countries, the Commissioner witnessed the efforts of officials, including at the local and regional level, to defend human rights, often at great personal risk.
Full speech of the Commissioner for Human Rights
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