Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights concludes his visit to Turkey
[03/07/09
16:00]
Commissioner Hammarberg concluded today a six-day visit to Turkey during which he held discussions with the President, the Ministers of Justice and EU Affairs and other representatives of national and local authorities, international agencies and non-governmental organisations. The focus was on the human rights of minorities as well as of asylum seekers and refugees. The Commissioner encouraged the authorities to take further action in order to protect fully minority members’ freedom of expression and align legislation and practice with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. It appears necessary that certain legislative provisions of the criminal code, such as Articles 301 and 220, and their application be revisited.
(more)
“All people in Kosovo* should benefit from European standards of human rights protection” says
Commissioner Hammarberg on publishing his report
[02/07/09 09:00]
Presenting his special mission report on Kosovo today, the Council of
Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights stressed that all people living
in Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity, must benefit from European
standards of human rights protection. They should not be held hostage to
any lack of international consensus on the status of Kosovo.
The
Commissioner analyses the every day human rights problems faced by the
people living in Kosovo. Focusing on access to justice, policing, and
minority rights, as well as the fate of refugees and internally
displaced persons, he observes that Kosovo has an advanced legislative
framework in place, but its implementation still needs to be
ensured. "An effective access to the judıcıal system is not being
respected in practice, in particular in the northern municipalities.
Corruption of the judiciary and different public sectors should be also
tackled more effectively.” (more)
Read the Report
* “All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory,
institutions or population, in this text shall be
understood in full compliance with United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice
to the status of Kosovo.”
“The right to housing is essential in a democratic society”, says
Commissioner Hammarberg
[30/06/09
09:30]
“The right
to housing is of central importance to the effective enjoyment of most
human rights.
States should ensure their implementation, in particular in times of
economic crisis” said today the
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg,
issuing a
recommendation on housing rights.
“Many
people across Europe are experiencing a great housing need which is
exacerbated by the current economic crisis. Significant numbers of
people cannot access housing in the market while others have nowhere to
live or live in places unfit for human habitation.
Among
those facing major difficulties are Roma and Travellers, victims of
domestic violence, people with disabilities, refugees, migrants,
internally displaced persons, tenants without security, certain national
minorities and other discriminated groups, as well as people on the
lowest parts of the labour market.” (more)
Read the Recommendation
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[03/07/09
16:00]
Commissioner Hammarberg concluded today a six-day visit to Turkey during which he held discussions with the President, the Ministers of Justice and EU Affairs and other representatives of national and local authorities, international agencies and non-governmental organisations. The focus was on the human rights of minorities as well as of asylum seekers and refugees. The Commissioner encouraged the authorities to take further action in order to protect fully minority members’ freedom of expression and align legislation and practice with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. It appears necessary that certain legislative provisions of the criminal code, such as Articles 301 and 220, and their application be revisited.
“All people in Kosovo* should benefit from European standards of human rights protection” says
Commissioner Hammarberg on publishing his report
“The right to housing is essential in a democratic society”, says
Commissioner Hammarberg 
28/06-03/07/09
Participation in the Council of Europe 4th Summer
University for Democracy Strasbourg