Newsroom
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić on the situation in Georgia
I am following with concern recent developments in our member State, Georgia, regarding the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence” adopted in the first reading by Georgian Parliament on 7 March. It is essential that any such legislation be in line with the Council of Europe standards on...
Equal rights for women and girls: the role of men and boys
Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, President of the Parliamentary Assembly Tiny Kox and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have made the following statement: “Today, on International Women’s Day, we...
Statement by Committee of Ministers Chair, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs
Reacting to the news that a Belarus court has sentenced the country’s main opposition leader, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years’ jail in absentia, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir made...
Safety of Journalists platform 2023 report: a war on journalism in parts of Europe
In 2022, since Russia’s launched its war of aggression against Ukraine, at least 12 journalists and media workers were killed and 21 injured while performing their professional duties. The war occurred in a context of continued degradation of press freedom across Europe, with a significant...
Cyprus: improved work access for asylum seekers and hate speech ban in Parliament welcomed, but problems remain
A new report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) praises positive steps in Cyprus since adopting its last report on the country in 2016, while also pointing out various areas of concern. Employment procedures for asylum seekers were made “significantly easier” as of...
“No peace without justice and accountability" – Council of Europe took part in high-level international Lviv conference “United for Justice”
A Council of Europe delegation took part in the conference “United for Justice”, organised by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine in Lviv, Ukraine from 3-5 March. The conference hosted discussions on the accountability for the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. In the...
Urgent action needed to reunite Ukrainian children transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories with their families
“Russia’s failure to return Ukrainian children separated from their families and legal guardians is a serious violation of their human rights. Concrete mechanisms and solutions must urgently be identified and used to reunite these children with their families,” said Council of Europe Commissioner...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 7 to 9 March. Cases proposed for detailed examination concern Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Finland,...
Congress of The Hague at 75: political will needed to ensure culture of multilateralism lasts
Seventy-five years ago, over 750 delegates from around Europe took part in the historic steps towards European unity at the Congress of Europe in The Hague. Against this background, a special event that took place at the Peace Palace in The Hague on 2 March reflected upon the geopolitical balance...
New Thematic Factsheet - Right to free elections
The Execution Department has issued a new Thematic Factsheet on the right to free elections. This right, guaranteed under Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights, is crucial to establishing and maintaining the foundations of an effective and meaningful democracy...
