News
Reports
Visits
Letters
Missions to the Czech Republic, Hungary Poland, Romania and Slovakia
Commissioner urges more coordinated efforts by all member states to meet the humanitarian needs and protect the human rights of people fleeing the war in Ukraine
“All member states should strengthen their efforts to coordinate – both at domestic and European levels – and scale up support for the response to the humanitarian and human rights needs of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Medium and long-term planning is urgently needed to ensure...
Third Party Intervention
Commissioner intervenes before the European Court of Human Rights in a case concerning the situation of asylum seekers and migrants stranded at the border between Poland and Belarus
Today, the Commissioner published her written observations to the European Court of Human Rights on the case of R.A. and others v. Poland concerning the situation of asylum seekers and migrants stranded at the border between Poland and Belarus. The Commissioner’s observations were submitted in...
Statement
New legislation perpetuates restrictions and obstacles to protection of human rights on Poland’s eastern border
Amendments to Poland’s Border Protection Act, adopted yesterday, effectively perpetuate many of the restrictive measures put in place by the country’s state of emergency, with negative effects on the freedom of movement, assembly, and expression on Poland’s eastern border. During my recent...
Country visit
Commissioner calls for immediate access of international and national human rights actors and media to Poland’s border with Belarus to end human suffering and violations of human rights
“The humanitarian and human rights situation along Poland’s border with Belarus is alarming. Urgent action is needed to protect the lives of people stranded in the border regions”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, following her 4-day mission to...
Third Party Intervention
Commissioner intervenes before the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning abortion rights in Poland
Today the Commissioner published her written observations to the European Court of Human Rights as a third party in the cases of K.B. v. Poland and 3 other applications, K.C. v. Poland and 3 other applications and A.L. - B. v. Poland and 3 other applications concerning abortion rights in Poland....
Statement
Poland should take immediate action to protect the human rights of people stranded at its border with Belarus
The dire humanitarian situation of a group of people stuck for many days at the Polish-Belarussian border is alarming. I understand that this situation is the result of attempts by Belarus to encourage people to cross borders, leaving them in a vulnerable position and creating challenges for the...
Letter
Poland: draft laws on the media sector should respect European human rights standards on freedom of expression, media pluralism and data protection
In a letter to the Prime Minister of Poland, made public today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović urges the government to ensure that two draft laws concerning an ‘advertising revenue tax on media outlets’ and ‘protection of freedom of speech of social media...
Memorandum
Poland should stop the stigmatisation of LGBTI people
“Public officials and opinion makers should stop promoting an atmosphere of hate and intolerance vis-à-vis LGBTI people and instead, improve respect for their human rights. Stigmatisation and hate speech carry a real risk of legitimising violence. LGBTI are people, not an ideology”, said the...
Third party intervention
Commissioner publishes observations on the absence of legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Poland
Today the Commissioner published her written observations to the European Court of Human Rights concerning the cases of Katarzyna Formela and Sylwia Formela v. Poland and 3 other applications, Cecylia Przybyszewska v. Poland and 9 other applications, and Antoni Meszkes v. Poland, all of which...
Letter
Polish authorities should ensure the continuity, independence and effectiveness of the Ombudsman institution
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, made public today, the Commissioner raises her concerns about risks to the continuity and the effective functioning of the Polish Ombudsman institution. A constitutional challenge to the legal provision allowing the current...
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Republic of Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- The Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russian Federation*
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Türkiye
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Kosovo**
* 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.
** All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.