Statement
Gender equality in employment is still a distant promise in Europe
“This year once again women in Europe effectively worked without pay during the last two months in comparison to men. In addition they continued to face underrepresentation in decision-making bodies and positions. This is a gross injustice and a human rights violation. European states must tackle...
Conclusions
Commissioner Muižnieks examines impact of national human rights action plans
The Commissioner for Human Rights published today the conclusions of a workshop he convened in Strasbourg on 2 June 2017 on national human rights action plans. The workshop gathered participants from public administration, national human rights institutions and civil society from a number of...
Issue Paper
Progress needed to ensure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe
“Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights are human rights. Regrettably, however, women in Europe still have these rights denied or restricted as a result of laws, policies and practices that ultimately reflect continuing gender stereotypes and inequalities. States must acknowledge and...
Letter
Ukrainian Parliament should accelerate the process of ratification of the Istanbul Convention
In a letter addressed to the Chairperson of the Parliament of Ukraine published today, Commissioner Muižnieks strongly encouraged the members of the Ukrainian Parliament to accelerate the process of ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against...
Country visit
Liechtenstein should improve gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, welcomed the solid legal and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of human rights in Liechtenstein, which has been strengthened by the establishment in January 2017 of the Association for Human Rights...
Third party intervention
Commissioner Muižnieks intervenes before the Strasbourg Court on equal access to education for children with disabilities
“Equal access to education for children with disabilities is still hampered by serious shortcomings in law and in practice in the majority of member states” said today Commissioner Muižnieks while publishing his written observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights on a case...
Third party intervention
The Commissioner intervenes before the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning the freedom of expression and right to liberty and security of parliamentarians in Turkey
Today the Commissioner published his written observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights concerning a group of twelve applications concerning the freedom of expression and right to liberty and security of parliamentarians in Turkey. Based on two visits carried out to Turkey in...
Country visit
Malta should step up efforts to enhance protection of women’s and migrants’ rights
“I welcome the government’s efforts to combat domestic violence in Malta. The transposition into domestic law of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, currently debated in parliament, is a decisive step forward. However, more...
Country visit report
Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities should spare no effort to build a truly cohesive society and effectively protect media freedom
“The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina should lay the foundations for a more cohesive society by tackling the disruptive legacy of the war. It is particularly crucial to step up the prosecution of wartime crimes and uphold the human rights of all civilian war victims, especially internally...
Letter
Commissioner Muižnieks calls on Swedish Parliament to be ambitious in plans to establish a national human rights institution
In a letter addressed to the Parliament of Sweden published today, Commissioner Muižnieks welcomes the current discussions in the Committee on the Constitution to establish a national human rights institution, and urges parliamentarians to ensure that the new body is adequately funded,...
Human Rights Comment
Ending restrictions on family reunification: good for refugees, good for host societies
Many refugees have to leave family members behind when they flee their homes. This adds more hardship to the trauma of exile. Once they have found safety in Europe, being reunited with their family members is often the first priority of refugees. It takes little imagination to realise how...
Third party intervention
The Commissioner intervenes before the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning the detention of journalists and freedom of expression in Turkey
Today the Commissioner published his written observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights concerning a group of ten applications relating to freedom of expression and right to liberty of journalists in Turkey. Based on two visits carried out to Turkey in April and September 2016...
Country visit report
Switzerland should reinforce its human rights protection framework and better respond to the needs of vulnerable migrants
Reinforcing the institutional and legal framework for safeguarding and promoting human rights and enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers are the key recommendations addressed to the Swiss authorities by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, in a...
Letter
Commissioner urges Azerbaijan to investigate allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in Baku
Today the Commissioner published a letter sent on 9 October to Ramil Usubov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, in which he calls for thorough investigations into serious allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in Baku. “Arrests based wholly...
Country visit
Republic of Moldova: important advances on addressing domestic violence, but more progress needed in justice reform
“Despite the reforms undertaken to date, further sustained efforts are needed in order to address deficiencies in the justice sector, strengthen the judiciary’s efficiency and impartiality, and restore public trust. In contrast, I was heartened to learn about progress achieved with regard to the...
Letter
Commissioner seeks clarifications over Italy’s maritime operations in Libyan territorial waters
In a letter addressed to Mr Marco Minniti, Minister of Interior of Italy, published today, the Commissioner requests information with regard to Italy’s maritime operations in Libyan territorial waters aimed at managing migration flows. Expressing appreciation for Italy’s efforts in saving lives...
Letter
Romania: NGO expertise still vital for monitoring institutions for persons with disabilities
In a letter addressed to Ms Lia-Olguța Vasilescu, Minister of Labour and Social Justice of Romania, published today, the Commissioner recommends that the government renew its co-operation with expert non-governmental organisations in order to enhance monitoring of institutions providing care to...
Letter
Commissioner calls on Spain to investigate allegations of disproportionate use of police force in Catalonia
Today the Commissioner published a letter sent on 4 October to Mr Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez, Minister of the Interior of Spain, in which he raises concerns regarding allegations of disproportionate use of force by law enforcement authorities in Catalonia on 1 October 2017. “The Spanish...
Country visit
Sweden: move beyond emergency mode in migration-related areas to strengthen human rights
“Sweden has played a leading role in providing assistance to persons in need of international protection; this should continue” said today Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of a five-day visit to Sweden. Welcoming Sweden’s efforts within the...
Memorandum
The law on freedom of assembly in the Russian Federation needs thorough revision
In a Memorandum published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, recommends that the Russian authorities thoroughly revise the country’s legal framework governing public events, in consultation with domestic human rights structures, so as to bring it in line...
Human Rights Comment
Arbitrary Internet blocking jeopardises freedom of expression
Internet blocking is a widespread phenomenon in Council of Europe member states. Its impact on freedom of expression was highlighted already in 2011, when the former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, outlined in...
Country visit
Luxembourg: Authorities encouraged to continue efforts to integrate asylum-seekers and migrants
“Luxembourg has made considerable efforts to respond to Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis by receiving asylum-seekers and relocating and resettling refugees from other parts of Europe and beyond. It has largely avoided the trap of political instrumentalisation of the issue of migration, and...
Position paper
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...
Human Rights Comment
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. In the vast majority of European countries, and elsewhere in the world,...
Human Rights Comment
Respecting the human rights of persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities: an obligation not yet fully understood
The human rights of persons with disabilities is one of the areas I have taken up most frequently in my country work, with the most recurrent issues being the right to live in the community and deinstitutionalisation; the right to legal capacity; and the right to an inclusive education. A...
Statement
European countries must acknowledge the Roma genocide
On the occasion of today’s commemoration of the “Pharrajimos’, the Roma genocide, I call on Council of Europe member states to make more vigorous efforts towards fully acknowledging the genocide and other past atrocities committed against the Roma. While some countries have in recent years taken...
Human Rights Comment
Afrophobia: Europe should confront this legacy of colonialism and the slave trade
Human enslavement and the slave trade were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity which still cast a shadow on Europe. Colonialism scarred the destiny of millions of men, women and children and left an indelible mark on our world. It shaped European societies for centuries and led to...
Letter
France: the anti-terrorism bill must be in line with the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights
The Commissioner publishes a letter today in which he calls on the French senators to improve the bill strengthening internal security and anti-terrorism measures so as to bring it fully into line with Council of Europe standards, particularly the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights....
Third party intervention
The Russian Federation’s Law on Foreign Agents contravenes human rights
“The Russian Federation’s legislative framework on non-commercial organisations is incompatible with international and European human rights standards”, writes the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, in his observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights...
Human Rights Comment
Reconciliation Stalled in the Western Balkans
In March 2012 I travelled to Sarajevo with my predecessor for the launch of an Issue Paper on post-war justice and durable peace in the former Yugoslavia, followed by vivid discussions with political leaders and civil society representatives in Sarajevo, Zagreb, Belgrade and Ljubljana. This...
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