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Sanctions and measures without deprivation of liberty in Europe: annual statistics for 2021
The number of persons subject to sanctions and measures which keep offenders in the community remained relatively stable from January 2020 to January 2021, after several years of regular growth, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the 2021 SPACE II annual survey, carried out for...
Türkiye: Reducing threshold for parliamentary elections is welcome but other amendments could hamper inclusive democracy and impartiality of elections
Despite some positive aspects, a recent law amending parliamentary election procedures in Türkiye (Law No. 7393) could impede the participation of newer (and smaller) parties, according to an opinion by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission of legal and constitutional experts. Jointly drafted...
Azerbaijan media law: overregulation in an already restrictive environment
In the context of an already extremely confined space for independent journalism and media in Azerbaijan, the new media Law in Azerbaijan will have a “chilling effect”, said the Council of Europe’s body of constitutional legal experts, the Venice Commission, in its joint opinion together with the...
Secretary General welcomes Ukrainian Parliament’s approval of Istanbul Convention
Council of Europe Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has made the following statement today: “As women and girls are particularly vulnerable during the conflict, I warmly welcome the approval by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating...
PACE President urges members not to get used to the war in Ukraine
In his opening speech of the PACE summer session, President Tiny Kox invited members to hold a minute of silence for all the victims of the war in Ukraine, urging them to help end the suffering of the Ukrainian people and to continue showing solidarity. “This horrible war should never become a...
Council of Europe and UNHCR: anyone fleeing war or persecution has the right to seek safety and protection
On the occasion of World Refugee Day on 20 June 2022, the Council of Europe and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) emphasise that anyone fleeing war, conflict or persecution or risking violence, abuse or exploitation, has the right to seek safety and protection. Almost four months into the war in...
Continued use of the situation of Russian as a minority language as a pretext for aggression against Ukraine unacceptable
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in the statement adopted at the latest plenary session condemned in the strongest possible terms the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and expressed its solidarity with all people of Ukraine....
Moldova needs more resources and expertise to welcome refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG) has concluded her fact-finding visit to the Republic of Moldova (13-15 June 2022), which focused on the protection of the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The number of arrivals in the country has decreased...
Venice Commission plenary session
The June plenary session of the Venice Commission took place on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 June. The constitutional law experts adopted opinions on the Media Law of Azerbaijan, the Independence of Judicial Courts of Lebanon, amendments to electoral legislation in Türkiye, the vetting of judges and...
Romania has improved protection of women from domestic violence, but progress needed on definition of rape
In its first report on Romania, the Council of Europe’s GREVIO – the independent expert group that monitors implementation of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) – acknowledges the steps taken by the country to comply with...
Secretary General’s report on the human rights situation in Crimea: Committee of Ministers gravely concerned
In a decision adopted in the light of a report by Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Committee of Ministers has condemned human rights violations committed by the Russian occupying authorities, against ethnic Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars and other residents of...
Anti-torture Committee reiterates its recommendations to address inter-prisoner violence, informal hierarchy in Georgia’s “zonas”
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published a report on its May 2021 ad hoc visit to Georgia, together with the response of the Georgian authorities. The objective of the visit was to review the...
PACE session highlights: President of the Hellenic Republic and the King of the Netherlands
Addresses by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands are among highlights of the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 20-24 June 2022. There will...
Kazakhstan: corruption is a serious concern, more transparency and independence needed
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published its first evaluation report on Kazakhstan, focusing on issues such as independence, specialisation and means available to national bodies engaged in the prevention of and fight against corruption; extent and scope of...
Slovakia should improve education of Roma children and support to national minority cultures
The Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has urged the Slovak authorities to eradicate discrimination of Roma children in education and to improve the mechanism for supporting national minority cultures. In an Opinion the...
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Lack of co-ordination continues to hamper protection of regional and minority languages
In its third evaluation report on Bosnia and Herzegovina the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts states that a clearly detectable lack of co-ordination among multiple levels of authority continues to hamper the implementation of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages...
Germany: Improve education about national minorities and support for Sinti and Roma, says Council of Europe committee
National minority representatives in Germany are expressing concern over lacking education about their history, culture and contribution to German society among the majority population. This concern is raised prominently in an opinion published by Council of Europe experts on Germany's...
Domestic violence: Countries should improve child custody safety and victim protection
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) finds that many countries lack enough protection for children and domestic violence victims. GREVIO, which monitors implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and...
Brigitte Macron, guest of honour at the first forum for secondary school pupils
Four hundred youngsters had the opportunity to talk at length with Brigitte Macron today at the first-ever forum for secondary school pupils dedicated to living together. School bullying and cyberbullying were the focus of the discussion, during which Ms Macron mentioned the existence of the...
Portugal urged to enable trafficking victims to access legal aid and compensation, better identify victims among asylum seekers
The Council of Europe’s expert group on human trafficking, GRETA, has urged the Portuguese authorities to improve trafficking victims’ access to legal aid and to guarantee their effective access to compensation. These are among the main proposals for action included in the latest evaluation...
