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Country visit report
Italy should improve legislation and practice on migration and asylum, women’s rights and gender equality
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, recommends adopting a number of measures to better uphold the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and women. The Commissioner also raises certain issues concerning journalists and the legal...
Statement
Italy-Albania agreement adds to worrying European trend towards externalising asylum procedures
“The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Italy and Albania on disembarkation and the processing of asylum applications, concluded last week, raises several human rights concerns and adds to a worrying European trend towards the externalisation of asylum responsibilities,” said today the...
Statement
Lampedusa tragedy 10 years on: European states should prevent further deaths at sea by putting safe and legal routes in place
Statement delivered by Dunja Mijatović on 2 October 2023 via video at the round table “10 years of indifference” held in Lampedusa as part of the days of commemoration and remembrance for the tragedy of the 3 October 2013. "Dear friends, It is an honour for me to join you for these days of...
Country visit
Italy: Time for a sharp change in migration policies and effective advancement of women’s rights and gender equality
“It is Italy’s and our common European responsibility to stop the ongoing human tragedy in the Mediterranean. It is high time to take collective action to end the loss of life at sea, including through responsibility sharing for adequate rescue capacity and relocation of those rescued”, said...
World Refugee Day
Tolerance of human rights violations against refugees has reached alarming levels in Europe
“I am struck by the alarming level of tolerance to serious human rights violations against refugees, asylum seekers and migrants that has developed across Europe” says Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, from Lampedusa today, ahead of World Refugee Day. “Ahead of the...
Letter
The Italian government should consider withdrawing Decree Law which could hamper NGO search and rescue operations at sea
In a letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior of Italy, Matteo Piantedosi, published today, Commissioner Mijatović calls on the government to consider withdrawing or revise the Decree Law No. 1/2023. The Decree’s provisions could hamper NGO search and rescue operations and, therefore, be...
Statement
States should ensure rescue at sea and allow safe disembarkation during the COVID-19 crisis
“Despite the unprecedented challenges European countries face due to COVID-19, saving lives at sea and disembarking survivors in a safe port must continue”, stated today Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. The Commissioner calls on Council of Europe member states...
Letter
Commissioner urges Italy to suspend co-operation activities with Libyan Coast Guard and introduce human rights safeguards in future migration co-operation
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Luigi Di Maio, published today, the Commissioner urges the Italian government to introduce human rights safeguards in the Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Libya. While noting that discussions to improve human rights...
Statement
Commissioner calls on the Italian government to suspend the co-operation activities in place with the Libyan Coast Guard that impact on the return of persons intercepted at sea to Libya
“The Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Libya will be renewed automatically next 2 February. I regret that the Italian authorities have not scrapped that agreement or - as a minimum - changed its terms,” said today the Commissioner. “As I have already stressed on several occasions, and...
Third party intervention
Commissioner publishes observations on alleged human rights violations of migrants returned from Italy to Libya
Today, the Commissioner published her written observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in connection with the case of S.S. and others v. Italy. This case concerns the interception and rescue operation of a boat in distress in the Mediterranean Sea, carrying around 150 persons...
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* On 16 March 2022, the Committee of Ministers adopted a decision by which the Russian Federation ceased to be a member of the Council of Europe, after 26 years of membership.
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