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First evaluation of Greece’s compliance with the Council of Europe’s Anti-trafficking Convention: progress made, but gaps remain
In its first report on Greece, the Council of Europe’s expert group against human trafficking (GRETA) praises positive steps taken by Greek authorities to combat human trafficking, but also highlights a number of shortcomings. GRETA welcomes the adoption of anti-trafficking legislation, the...
Murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Statement by Secretary General Jagland
Turkey: Anti-torture committee publishes report on 2015 visit to immigration detention centres
At the request of the Turkish authorities, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has today published the report compiled following its visit to a number of immigration detention centres in the country in June 2015. The report notes that the visit took place at a...
Switzerland should reinforce its human rights protection framework and better respond to the needs of vulnerable migrants
Reinforcing the institutional and legal framework for safeguarding and promoting human rights and enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers are the key recommendations addressed to the Swiss authorities by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, in a...
Women in power: Major inequalities remain across Europe
European countries are still struggling to achieve gender balance in public decision-making, according to a new report from the Council of Europe. The report looks at progress made by 46 countries towards the goal set by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in 2003 of having at least...
Commissioner urges Azerbaijan to investigate allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in Baku
Today Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks published a letter sent on 9 October to Ramil Usubov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, in which he calls for thorough investigations into serious allegations of human rights violations of LGBT persons recently arrested and detained in...
Republic of Moldova: important advances on addressing domestic violence, but more progress needed in justice reform
Declaration by Human rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks at the end of his five-day visit to the country
33rd Session of the Congress
Unaccompanied refugee minors, local and regional democracy, situation in Catalonia and fight against corruption amongst the highlights
Ukrainian law on education: implementing the conclusions of the Venice Commission
The Assembly today expressed its concern about the articles relating to education in minority languages of the new Education Act recently adopted by Verkhovna Rada and deplored the fact that “there was no real consultation with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine”. While noting that...
The role of internet intermediaries as gatekeepers to freedom of expression – Conference in Vienna
The role and responsibilities of internet intermediaries, which critically influence the way we receive and impart information in the digital age, will be the focus of a conference on internet freedom, organized by the OSCE and the Council of Europe in Vienna on Friday 13 October. The function of...
CPT publishes highly critical report on prisons in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
In a report published today on its December 2016 visit, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) strongly criticises the conditions of detention and treatment of inmates at Idrizovo Prison, which holds some 60 % of the...
Germany ratifies Council of Europe convention to end violence against women
Monitoring procedure to be strengthened as a result
Call for Fourth Summit and harmonised rules for member states’ participation in the Organisation’s statutory bodies
PACE today unanimously called for a Fourth Council of Europe Summit to preserve and further strengthen the pan-European project in a Europe which has profoundly changed since the last Summit 12 years ago. Such a Summit of Heads of State and Government should define, at the highest political...
Petro Poroshenko: Ukraine is fighting on two fronts – one military, the other for reform
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said his country is fighting a war on two fronts at the same time – one to counter military aggression and restore its territorial integrity, and the other to implement difficult and complex reforms. Addressing PACE today in Strasbourg, he hailed his...
Azerbaijan: strengthening parliamentary control over the executive; ensuring independence of the judiciary
During a debate today at its plenary session in Strasbourg on “The functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) raised a number of concerns, particularly with regard to checks and balances, the functioning of the justice system,...
Parliamentary Assembly overhauls its Code of Conduct in response to corruption allegations
Responding to allegations of corruption in its ranks, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has unanimously adopted a heavily revised Code of Conduct for its members, with the aim of “restoring public confidence” in its work. Approving a report by Ian Liddell-Grainger (United...
Miloš Zeman: "the endeavour of the Council of Europe towards friendship and not hatred among European nations will be successful"
“I believe that the Council of Europe’s endeavour towards friendship and not hostility and hatred among European nations – including Russia – will be successful in the long term,” said Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic, addressing the Assembly today. “I believe that the role of the...
Secretary General Jagland says Catalonia crisis must be solved within the context of the Spanish constitution
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, in reply to questions from PACE members, has emphasised the importance of resolving the conflict in Catalonia on the basis of the existing Spanish constitution, or an amended version of it. He rejected the idea of international mediation, and...
Stella Kyriakides elected PACE President
Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD) has been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe following the resignation of Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD) on 6 October 2017. She obtained a large majority over the other candidate, Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), in...
Ángel Gurría on the global economic outlook: "better but not good enough"
“There are some welcome signs that our economies may finally be escaping the low growth trap. The OECD projects global growth to increase to around 3.5 per cent in 2017 and 3.7 per cent in 2018, up from 3 per cent in 2016. But we are not out of the woods yet,” said OECD Secretary General Ángel...
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Empowering Democracy through Culture – Digital Tools for Culturally Competent Citizens
Presentation to the press of the World Forum for Democracy 2017 (8-10 November)
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