Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is making an official visit to Bern on Monday 6 May, where he is meeting Simonetta Sommaruga, member of the Swiss Federal Council and Head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, and Didier Burkhalter, Vice-President of the Federal Council and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
Topics on the agenda include the need for governments to fully respect the right to freedom of expression and to a free press. The meetings occur three days after World Press Freedom Day, amidst continuing reports of violations against press freedom in some European countries.
The Secretary General is also giving a speech at Fribourg University to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Switzerland's membership of the Council of Europe.