Newsletter - December 2020
Draft Action plan on protecting vulnerable person and legal activities
On 17 December 2020, the Special Representative was invited to speak at the launching of the updated version of the Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration by the European Court of Human Rights and FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights). In his address, he...
Judgments against Greece, Slovakia and Switzerland
On 10 December 2020, in a Chamber judgment[3] in the case of Shiksaitov v. Slovakia (application no. 56751/16) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been: a violation of Article 5 § 1 (right to liberty and security) and 5 § 5 (enforceable right to compensation) of...
Commissioner calls Bosnia and Herzegovina to address shortcomings in the handling of migrants and asylum seekers
On 11 December 2020, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published a letter addressed to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, calling on the authorities to address the persistent shortcomings in their handling of migrants and asylum seekers. The letter was addressed to Mr...
ECRI discussed negative impact of Covid-19 on the health and socio-economic participation of minorities and migrants
On 11 December 2020, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) participated in a panel on the disproportionate negative impact of COVID-19 on the health and socio-economic participation of minorities and migrants. Organised by the Brussels Interdisciplinary Research centre on...
PACE Migration Committee: Effective guardianship, voluntary relocations and rights and obligations of NGOs
On 4 December 2020, the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons submitted three reports to the PACE Standing Committee, which adopted the following resolutions and recommendations: Resolution 2354 (2020) and Recommendation 2190 (2020) on “Effective guardianship for...
Drafting Committee on Migrant Women: Rich discussions during its 2nd meeting
On 14-15 December 2020, the Council of Europe’s Drafting Committee on Migrant Women (GEC-MIG) held its second meeting via videoconference. The Drafting Committee, a subordinate body to the Gender Equality Commission (GEC), is tasked by the Committee of Ministers to draft a Recommendation on...
Impact of COVID 19 on migrants, refugees and IDPs who use drugs
On 11 December 2020, members of the Pompidou Group’s Support Network of Professionals (SNP) working in the drug field with migrants, refugees and IDPs, published a statement where they have analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of these social groups. They have observed that...
International Migrants Day: Proud of my intercultural city campaign
On 18 December 2020, to mark the International Migrants Day, the Council of Europe´s Intercultural Cities programme invited citizens of the member cities to engage and participate in sharing their stories by sending a portrait photo or a short video featuring “Proud of my intercultural city!”....
Nabila Hamza and Leoluca Orlando awarded North-South Prize
On 2 December 2020, Portuguese Parliament President, Marcelo Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, awarded the Council of Europe’s North-South Prize to Nabila Hamza (Tunisia) and Leoluca Orlando (Italy). The 2019 prize annually distinguishes two people for their exceptional defence of human rights and...