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Serious human rights concerns about United Kingdom’s Rwanda Bill
“The adoption of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill by the UK Parliament raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law more generally”, said Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. “The United Kingdom government...
Statement
United Kingdom: adopting Northern Ireland Legacy Bill will undermine justice for victims, truth seeking and reconciliation
“The UK government’s ongoing attempt to pass the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill, including its recent introduction of amendments, ignores the many warnings that this legislation would violate the UK’s international obligations and put victims’ rights at risk”, said the Council of Europe...
Letter
Parliamentarians should uphold the United Kingdom’s international obligations when scrutinising the “Illegal Migration Bill”
“It is essential that parliamentarians prevent legislation that is incompatible with the United Kingdom’s international obligations being passed”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, in her letter to the House of Commons and the House of Lords about the...
Country visit report
United Kingdom: Commissioner warns against regression on human rights, calls for concrete steps to protect children’s rights and to tackle human rights issues in Northern Ireland
“Both the overall system for protecting human rights, and the rights of specific groups, are currently under pressure in the United Kingdom (UK). The authorities should spare no effort to reverse this trend”, warns today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while...
Rule 9
Proposed United Kingdom legislation on the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland raises human rights concerns
The Commissioner published today her submission to the Committee of Ministers in the context of the supervision of the execution of the McKerr group of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. This group of judgments relates to several shortcomings in the investigation of deaths during...
Country visit
United Kingdom: backsliding on human rights must be prevented
“Legal reforms should not weaken human rights protections in the United Kingdom”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, following a five-day visit to the country (27 June to 1 July), which focused on the system for human rights protection, the situation...
Letter
Commissioner calls on UK government not to extradite Julian Assange
In a letter, published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, called on UK Home Secretary Priti Patel not to extradite Julian Assange. Writing in view of the impending decision on Mr Assange’s extradition, the Commissioner noted that the wider human rights...
Statement
United Kingdom government‘s intention to offshore asylum processing to Rwanda sends a worrying signal
“Today’s announcement by the UK government of its intention to offshore asylum processing to Rwanda sends a worrying signal”, said Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović. “Not only does such externalisation raise questions about the protection of the human rights of the...
Letter
Safe and legal routes and protection of human rights must take centre stage in co-operation between the United Kingdom and France on Channel crossings
The United Kingdom and France should ensure that the human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants take centre stage in their actions to deal with crossings of the Channel, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, in letters addressed to the UK Home...
Letter
UK government’s legacy proposals must not undermine human rights and cut off victims’ avenues to justice in Northern Ireland
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, warns that a proposed new plan for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland “would undermine human rights protections and would cut...
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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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