On 11 March, the Ministers’ Deputies held an exchange of views with Ms Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian opposition, on the current political and humanitarian situation in Belarus, the ongoing efforts of the Belarusian Democratic Forces to achieve democratic reforms, and cooperation with the international community, including in the context of the Council of Europe Contact Group on cooperation with representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society.
 
On 12 March, the Deputies held an exchange of views on the situation in Georgia, in light of Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2585 (2025) “Challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Georgia”. The following speakers were invited to give an overview of their co-operation with Georgia: Mr Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities; Mr Michael O’Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights; Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission); and Mr Alan Mitchell, President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). Following a discussion, the Deputies adopted a decision.
 
The Deputies also held their six-monthly thematic discussion on the abolition of the death penalty, with the participation of the following speakers: Ms Sunny Jacobs, former death row prisoner in the United States of America and founder of the Sunny Center Foundation; Ms Marta Santos Païs, Commissioner of the International Commission against the Death Penalty (Madrid Commission); and Mr Richard Sédillot, lawyer, defender of death row inmates around the world. The Deputies subsequently adopted a series of decisions on this topic.
 
In addition, the Deputies adopted the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer and took note of its Explanatory Report. The Convention aims to strengthen the protection of the profession of lawyer and the right to practise the profession without the fear of discrimination, improper hindrance or interference or being subjected to attacks, threats, harassment and intimidation [more information …]. It will be opened for signature on the occasion of the 134^th Ministerial Session to be held in Luxembourg on 13 May 2025.
 
The other items examined by the Deputies appear in the Agenda and the decisions adopted are available in the meeting file.