Strasbourg, 19.05.2008 – The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, will carry out a high-level visit to France starting on Tuesday 20 May to assess a broad range of human rights issues including prison conditions, precautionary detention (retention de sûreté), juvenile justice and migrants' rights.
During the visit, the Commissioner will meet with Justice Minister Rachida Dati, Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux and Human Rights Secretary of State Rama Yade. Mr Hammarberg's agenda also includes meetings with the National Consultative Commission for Human Rights, the national Ombudsman, the Ombudsman for children and representatives of civil society.
Commissioner Hammarberg will travel to Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg to visit two prisons, a detention centre for migrants and a Roma settlement. He will also discuss the proposal to establish a Defender of Fundamental Rights, as well as the overall system of human rights protection in France and the need to reinforce independent police control mechanisms.
Mr Hammarberg will also follow up on his January visit to the detention centre for migrants in Roissy to assess measures undertaken to guarantee respect for the rights of asylum-seekers and irregular migrants.
The visit is part of the activities carried out in accordance with the Commissioner's mandate to assess the implementation of human rights commitments by all Council of Europe member states.