The News (Site updated Monday, February 8, 2010 | 17:30)
Council of Europe must rise to challenges of multicultural Europe
[08/02/2010 11:30:00] On the first day of his official visit to Turkey, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland met with the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül to discuss democratic institutions and human rights in Turkey and within the 47 member states of the Council of Europe. In Istanbul, President Gül and Secretary General Jagland expressed their firm commitment to strengthening the fight against racism, xenophobia and islamophobia in Europe. ''We must uphold our fundamental values and avoid new dividing lines within our societies'', the Secretary General said.
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Human Rights Commissioner
Thomas Hammarberg: ''The Strasbourg Court is a source of hope for many''
[08/02/2010 14:30:00] ''The Strasbourg Court is essential to sustain the European system of human rights protection. Further measures are therefore needed to reinforce its functioning and to ensure that member states implement its decisions,'' said the Commissioner for Human Rights, in his Viewpoint published on 8 February, in view of the high-level Conference on the future of the European Court which will take place in Interlaken on 18-19 February.
(more ...) Viewpoint
Thomas Hammarberg: visit to Greece
[05/02/2010 15:00:00] The Commissioner for Human Rights is to visit Greece from 8 to 10 February to discuss with the authorities issues relating to the protection of human rights of asylum seekers and minorities, as well as police misconduct. The visit follows up on the Commissioner’s reports published in February 2009.
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Deputy Secretary General
Donation to Strasbourg European School
[05/02/2010 12:00:00] Deputy Secretary General, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, presented on 5 February a donation of over 400 books to the Strasbourg European School by the Amicale of the Council of Europe in conjunction with the Permanent Representations of the Council of Europe.
(more ...) Speech [en] European School website
Secretary General
Seminar on EU accession to European Convention on Human Rights
[02/02/2010 15:00:00] Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, spoke at the seminar on Fundamental rights in the European Union in view of the accession of the Union to the European Convention on Human Rights.
(more ...) Speech by Thorbjørn Jagland Website Programme
6 films supported by Eurimages selected for Berlinale
[02/02/2010 17:00:00] Six films supported by Eurimages feature in the programme of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, to take place from 11 to 21 February, with in the official competition, ''Bal'' by Semih Kaplanoglu and ''Na Putu'' by Jasmila Zbanic.
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IN DEPTH
European prison reform
[01/12/2009 17:30:00] A driving force for prison reform since the 1960s, the Council of Europe is working to improve the treatment of those imprisoned or deprived of their liberty. Its committees develop standards on the basis of relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, criteria determined by the European Committee for the prevention of torture (CPT), and recommendations made by the Commissioner for Human Rights.
Photo: Gamma(more ...)
Committee of Ministers
Council of Europe calls for deinstitutionalisation of children with disabilities
[04/02/2010 10:30:00] The Committee of Ministers has adopted on 3 February a text recommending that member states no longer place children with disabilities in institutional care and instead give preference to community living. There are many concerns about the compatibility of institutional care with the exercise of children’s rights.
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Meeting of Ministers’ Deputies: exchange of views on Georgia
[04/02/2010 17:30:00] On 3 February, the Ministers' Deputies held an exchange of views with Temur Yakobashvili, Minister for Reintegration issues of Georgia, on the ''State Strategy of the Government of Georgia on the occupied territories of Georgia: Engagement through co-operation''. They also took note of a report on a visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
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Ukraine's presidential election meets most international commitments
[08/02/2010 14:30:00] Ukraine's run-off presidential election confirmed the international election observation mission's assessment that the electoral process met most OSCE and Council of Europe commitments. ''Democratic elections in Ukraine are now a reality'' said Head of Assembly delegation, Matyas Eörsi, in a statement issued on 8 January.
Photo: Gamma(more ...)
Implementation of judgments of the Court: Rapporteur to visit Russia
[05/02/2010 16:30:00] Christos Pourgourides (Cyprus), rapporteur of Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, is to make a fact-finding visit to Moscow on 8 and 9 February as part of the preparation of his report on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
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WHO challenged on handling of Swine Flu pandemic(more ...)
Congress
Keith Whitmore: ''After Copenhagen: climate change a challenge to be faced at local level''
[08/02/2010 12:00:00] ''After the Copenhagen Summit it became evident that climate change is an issue to be faced at local level'', said Keith Whitmore (UK, ILDG) Chair of the Congress Institutional Committee and Political Co-ordinator of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) during a debate about local consequences of the Copenhagen summit at the Congress Bureau meeting on 5 February in Paris.
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Ian Micallef on official visit to Andorra
[05/02/2010 11:30:00] The acting President of the Congress is to pay an official visit to Andorra on 9 February. This is the first in a series of visits to the three Council of Europe member states that have not yet ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Andorra, Monaco and San Marino).
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20 years of combating torture - 19th General Report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) (2009)
Search the news 
Thomas Hammarberg: ''The Strasbourg Court is a source of hope for many''
Donation to Strasbourg European School
Seminar on EU accession to European Convention on Human Rights
6 films supported by Eurimages selected for Berlinale
European prison reform
Council of Europe calls for deinstitutionalisation of children with disabilities
Ukraine's presidential election meets most international commitments
Ian Micallef on official visit to Andorra
