At their meeting on 30 November, the Minister’s Deputies took a series of decisions on the abolition of the death penalty, notably concerning the signature and ratification of Protocols Nos. 6 and 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights and the ongoing executions in Belarus, Japan and the United States. They particularly condemned the recent executions of Mr Ivan Kulesh and Mr Sergei Khmelevsky in Belarus, which immediately preceded the Committee of Ministers debate on the abolition of the death penalty.

The Deputies approved the Council of Europe Disability Strategy (2017-2023), which sets out the priority areas of action by the Organisation in this area for the period 2017 to 2023 and gives guidance and inspiration to member States and other stakeholders on policies, activities and measures to ensure implementation of priorities at national and local levels.

Finally, the Deputies held exchanges of views with:

• Ms Anna Rurka, President of the Conference of INGOs, on the activities and projects of the Conference; and
• Mr Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, following his presentation of the activities of the Congress, including the last Congress session in October 2016.

The other items examined by the Deputies appear in the Agenda and the decisions adopted are available in the meeting file.