Bilateral cooperation

The relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and the findings of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) highlight areas for improvement where member States need to act in order to conform to the Council of Europe’s standards in the field of prisons and as regards the actions of law enforcement officials. Based on the European Prison Rules, the Council of Europe Probation Rules and the European Rules on juvenile offenders, the programme carries out assistance activities. Emphasis is placed on human rights and management issues in prisons, and on combating ill-treatment and impunity as regards law enforcement structures. The Council of Europe is the pan-European platform for discussion of new challenges facing law enforcement and correctional services, which inform standard setting and exchange of good practices.

NEWS

Back Conference on the role of the police in a democratic society

@ Council of Europe

At a conference on the role of the police in a democratic society attended by high-level representatives of European Ministers of the Interior on 20 and 21 October, the Council of Europe proposed to set up its own permanent high-level network of the police forces of the 47 member states.

Some 90 police officers and experts attended and discussed issues such as the recruitment and training of law enforcement officers, the role and place of women in the police, and the responsibility and internal and external control of the police. They concluded that there was a need to step up the exchange of good practices and co-operation at European level to better meet the current challenges faced by the police.

The Conference also underlined that the Council of Europe's European Code of Police Ethics was still a point of reference even 20 years after its adoption.

The conference was opened by the Minister of Citizens’ Protection of Greece, Michalis Chrisochoïdis, and Claire Hédon, Défenseur des droits (France).

Learn more: https://www.coe.int/en/web/human-rights-rule-of-law/police-conference2020

Strasbourg, France 23 October 2020