European Court of Human Rights 19/02/2013 European Court of Human Rights: judgment against Austria European Court of Human Rights Strasbourg, 19 February 2013 - In today’s Grand Chamber judgment in the case of X and Others v. Austria, the European Court of Human Rights held: - by a majority, that there had been a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken in conjunction with Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights on account of the difference in treatment of the applicants in comparison with unmarried different-sex couples in which one partner wished to adopt the other partner’s child; and, ...

Parliamentary Assembly 19/02/2013 Armenian election generally well-administered, some key concerns remain Flag of Armenia . Strasbourg, 19.02.2013 – Armenia’s presidential election was generally well-administered and was characterized by a respect for fundamental freedoms, including those of assembly and expression, concluded the international election observation mission in a statement released today. At the same time, a lack of impartiality on the part of the public administration and the misuse of administrative resources resulted in a blurring of the distinction between the activities of the state and those of the ruling party, the statement said.   Candidate...

Council of Europe’s anti-racism committee (ECRI) 19/02/2013 Addressing racism and intolerance in Europe – ECRI reports . Strasbourg, 19.02.2013 – The Council of Europe’s anti-racism committee (ECRI) published reports on Ireland and Liechtenstein today, welcoming positive developments but indicating issues that continue to give rise to concern. ECRI has made specific priority recommendations to the Irish authorities on dealing with applications for asylum, registration of non-national minors under 16, complaints concerning employment, discrimination in the provision of goods and services, and regarding habitual residence. The authorities in Liechtenstein have...

Parliamentary Assembly 19/02/2013 Election observation mission in Armenia to hold press conference at 3 p.m. local time (12:00 CET) . Strasbourg, 15.02.2013 - The international election observation mission monitoring the presidential elections in Armenia will present its preliminary post-election statement at a press conference on Tuesday, 19 February, in Yerevan.   The international observation mission is a common endeavour involving the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the European Parliament (EP).   This common endeavour comprises some 290 observers from 38...

Committee of MInisters 18/02/2013 Committee of Ministers to examine implementation of human rights judgments Committee of Ministers Strasbourg, 18.02.2013 – The representatives of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe will examine implementation of the judgments and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on 5-7 March 2013.   This supervisory role of the Committee of Ministers is provided for under Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights.   The cases proposed for examination, concerning Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation,...

MONEYVAL 18/02/2013 Anti-money laundering body issues report on Republic of Moldova . Strasbourg, 18.02.2013 – In a report evaluating measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in the Republic of Moldova published today, the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL Committee concluded that progress has been achieved, but further improvements are needed. The report highlights that the reform of the criminal legislation has brought the money laundering offence more into line with international standards with regard to 2007, when the Republic of Moldova was last evaluated. The money laundering offence now covers the laundering by the author of the predicate offence....

Parliamentary Assembly 15/02/2013 Iran: Parliamentary Assembly calls for release of Green Movement leaders Strasbourg, 15.02.2013 – “The Iranian government should immediately and unconditionally release the Iranian Green Movement leaders, who have been held under arbitrary house arrest for exactly two years,” said Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). He was speaking on the occasion of the second anniversary of the de facto house arrest of former Presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, as well as Zahra Rahnavard, Mr...

Council of Europe 14/02/2013 Poverty and Inequality in Societies of Human Rights: paradox of democracies Strasbourg, 14.02.2013 – In order to lay the foundations for a renewed anti-poverty strategy, the Council of Europe, in partnership with the European Commission, is holding a conference in Strasbourg on 21 and 22 February on the theme of “Poverty and Inequality in Societies of Human Rights: the paradox of democracies”.   Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and László Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, will be opening the conference at 9 a.m. on Thursday 21 February in...

Commissioner for Human Rights 12/02/2013 Belarusian Human Rights Defenders Need Support Nils Muižnieks Strasbourg, 12/2/2013 - Belarus is not a member state of the Council of Europe and should not even be considered a candidate until it releases all human rights defenders and opposition activists imprisoned for political motives, abolishes the death penalty and carries out far-reaching democratic reforms, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today. Belarus is not currently subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights or country reports by most monitoring mechanisms and my own office....

GRETA 12/02/2013 Anti human trafficking group calls on Portugal to improve assistance to victims Strasbourg, 12.02.2013 – The Council of Europe expert group against human trafficking (GRETA) today called on the Portuguese authorities to improve the assistance provided to victims of trafficking in human beings, and to provide them with appropriate and safe accommodation.   In its first report on Portugal, which was published today, GRETA acknowledges that Portugal has taken important steps to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, although it also urges the authorities to take further measures to improve the identification of victims and the prosecution of...

Secretary General 08/02/2013 Thorbjørn Jagland concerned by the recent events in Azerbaijan Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg, 08.02.2013 – Reacting to the decision today of the Baku Court of Appeal to maintain in detention two human rights activists, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement: “I am concerned by the recent events in Azerbaijan and the heavy-handed response of the police to protests. I am particularly disturbed by the arrest on 4 February of Tofig Yagublu and Ilgar Mammadov, in relation to recent events in Ismayilli. Mr Mammadov is the Director of the Baku School of Political Studies, a close co-operation partner of the...

President of the Parliamentary Assembly 06/02/2013 Tunisia: Parliamentary Assembly President condemns murder of Chokri Belaid Jean-Claude Mignon Strasbourg, 06.02.2013 – Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), expressed his shock today at the murder of Chokri Belaid, a leading Tunisian opposition figure. “I firmly condemn this despicable crime which is aimed at destabilising the democratic transition process in Tunisia and undermining the efforts of all those who are working for the defence of human rights in that country. This act will not lessen the resolve of the Tunisian people to consolidate democracy and the...

Secretary General 06/02/2013 Thorbjørn Jagland visits Altınözü refugee camp near Turkey’s Syrian border Thorbjørn Jagland Hatay, 06/02/2013 - By invitation of Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland, visited the Altın özü refugee camp near the Syrian border where he exchanged views with refugees and officials. Turkey, a founding member state of the Council of Europe, currently hosts some 170.000 Syrian refugees. Secretary General – Interview            Read also:   Secretary General makes official visit to Turkey "Freedom of expression...

Deputy Secretary General 06/02/2013 Culture of Democracy and Intercultural Dialogue - an Andorran initiative Gabriella Battaini Dragoni and Gilbert Saboya Sunyé Strasbourg, 06.02.2013 - Education, culture of democracy and intercultural dialogue are at the heart of the international conference "Competences for a culture of democracy and intercultural dialogue: a political challenge and values”, organised in the framework of the Andorran Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in Andorra la Vella (7-8 February). The event is to define strategic objectives in the field of education for the programme of activities 2014-2015 and provide an input for...

Secretary General 05/02/2013 "Freedom of expression strengthens democracy", says Jagland in Ankara Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg,  5 February 2013 - Delivering the opening speech of the conference on freedom of expression and media in Turkey, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland , whilst recognising that some progress has been achieved, stressed the need for action to bring Turkish legislation in line with Council of Europe standards.   "There are still 450 cases pending against Turkey in the field of freedom of expression. This is simply too much", he said, referring to the latest statistics of the ECHR. "What is needed is a complete...

Secretary General 04/02/2013 Secretary General makes official visit to Turkey Abdullah Gül and Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg, 6 February 2013 - The Secretary General met with Turkish President Abdullah Gül, where discussions focused on freedom of expression and media and the political will of Turkey to address these issues. Discussions also touched upon the work on the new Turkish Constitution, the Council of Europe’s neighbourhood policy, and accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights.   The Secretary General also visited two refugee camps in the Hatay province near the Syrian border.   Thorbjørn Jagland who is paying a...

Commissioner for Human Rights 01/02/2013 Racist violence a real threat to democracy in Greece Nils Muižnieks Athens, 01/02/2013. “Impunity for the rising number of racist crimes in Greece has to end. The police, prosecutors and courts need to become fully acquainted with and give effect to existing anti-racism legislation, including the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination by which Greece is bound”, stated Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of his five-day visit to Greece. Between October 2011 and December 2012 more than 200 racist attacks were recorded by the racist violence...

Parliamentary Assembly 01/02/2013 Assembly rapporteur calls on Russian Duma not to support law banning ‘gay propaganda’ Andreas Gross Strasbourg, 01.02.2013 - Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), co-rapporteur on Russia for the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has expressed concern at the approval by the Russian Duma, at first reading, of a draft federal law on the “propaganda of homosexuality to minors” which, if finally adopted, is likely to increase discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBT) by limiting their freedom of expression, association and assembly. “The members of the Duma...

Expert group on human trafficking (GRETA ) 31/01/2013 Council of Europe experts urge Latvia to do more to prevent human trafficking Strasbourg, 31.01.2013 – The Council of Europe’s expert group on human trafficking, GRETA, has warned that official figures may underestimate the scale of trafficking in Latvia. GRETA has also urged the Latvian authorities to take further steps to prevent human trafficking, especially among vulnerable groups.   In its first report on Latvia, GRETA highlighted several important steps which have been taken in recent years – including the launch of two national anti-trafficking programmes and the creation of both a national...

European Commission for Democracy through Law 30/01/2013 US intends to join Council of Europe constitutional expert body Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice Strasbourg, 30/01/2013 – Secretary General Jagland welcomed the announcement of the US State Department at the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers today to seek full membership of the European Commission for Democracy through Law, known as the “Venice Commission” .   “This announcement by the State Department is good news for Europe and good for the United States. It will enable the US and Europe to share expertise and co-operate more closely in promoting human rights,...