Newsroom
Human rights in Europe: Do not leave the battlefield
Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks presents his annual activity report for 2015
Council of Europe works for a human rights compliant drug policy – in Europe and beyond
By Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland The forthcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (19-21 April) is an unprecedented opportunity to acknowledge the shortcomings of the “war on drugs”; to draw on the achievements in drug policy since the UN last...
Secretary General Jagland concerned by Islamophobic statements of “AfD” party in Germany
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has warned that recent statements by the leaders of Germany’s “Alternative für Deutschland” (AfD) are “contrary to European values, values which Germany as a founding member of the Council of Europe has always strongly supported”....
Secretary General Jagland: statement on the decision by the Prosecutor in Crimea to suspend the Mejlis
Responding to the decision by the Prosecutor in Crimea to suspend the Mejlis, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “I strongly urge that no action is taken to restrict the Mejlis’s activity or to label it extremist. The Mejlis must be able to continue its activities in Crimea. The human...
Secretary General welcomes confirmation of the new Ukrainian government
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, made the following statement today: “I welcome the confirmation by the Verkhovna Rada today of the new government of Ukraine headed by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, following the renewal of the parliamentary coalition. “I...
International Press Institute joins Council of Europe platform to protect journalists
The International Press Institute (IPI) today became a partner to the Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, through which media freedom organisations inform the Council of Europe and disseminate information on alleged violations of media freedom. The...
Crimea must be re-opened to regular Council of Europe monitoring to safeguard the human rights of 2.5 million people
Ambassador Stoudmann presented on 13 April to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe the report on his recent human rights visit to Crimea. The report is a result of a visit by a Council of Europe delegation sent by Secretary General Jagland to Crimea after 18 months during which...
Turkey: security trumping human rights, free expression under threat
Statement by Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks at the end of his visit to Istanbul, Diyarbakir and Ankara
Anti-torture committee calls upon states to review the treatment of life-sentenced prisoners
In its annual report, published today, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) calls upon the 47 Council of Europe’s member states to review their treatment of life-sentenced prisoners according to the individual risk they present, and to provide for their possible...
Council of Europe recommends states to regularly evaluate their level of Internet freedom
The Committee of Ministers today adopted a Recommendation to its 47 member states encouraging them to periodically prepare national reports evaluating their level of respect for human rights with regard to the Internet, and to share their findings with the Council of Europe. The recommendation...
Council of Europe adopts guidelines to protect media freedom and journalists
The Council of Europe today adopted a set of guidelines aimed to ensure the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists in its 47 member states. In a Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers – the organisation´s decision-making body- encouraged states to review their national...
Secretary General Jagland meets Manuel Valls
Fighting terrorism - a shared priority
Democracy through education: European ministers back new tool
Education ministers from across the continent have given their backing to a new tool to help teach democracy and democratic values in schools and other settings. Following a two-day conference in Brussels, representatives of the 50 countries covered by the European Cultural Convention also agreed...
New Council of Europe/EU cooperation agreement for the Western Balkans and Turkey
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, and the European Union’s Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, today made the following statement: “We are happy to announce that the European Commission and the...
New European Roma Institute to promote Roma and Travellers’ cultural heritage
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement on the occasion of International Roma Day. “45 years ago, Roma people from across the world came together for the first World Romani Congress, near London, to congregate around their common identity. “Today...
European education ministers to discuss new teaching tool for promoting democracy
Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Education, Brussels, 11-12 April 2016
Nominations for UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award 2016
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the re-opening of nominations for the 2016 Nansen Refugee Award, from Tuesday 5 April to Monday 25 April. The award is bestowed on a person or group for outstanding work on behalf of the forcibly displaced, and aims to...
Escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region
Statement by Daniel Mitov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
In times of crisis, Europe cannot afford to disregard children’s rights
With the new challenges Europe is facing today, governments cannot afford to put children’s rights on the backburner, said participants of the Council of Europe conference that started in Sofia today. “Keeping Europe anchored in democracy, universal human rights and the rule of law is our...
Secretary General on official visit to Poland
Yesterday 4 April, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland had meetings with: The President of Poland, Mr Andrzej Duda The Prime Minister, Ms Beata Szydło The Speaker of the Sejm Mr Marek Kuchciński The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Witold Waszczykowski The Minister of Justice, Mr...
