News 2016
End Child Sex Abuse Day
European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Treaties of Nijmegen Medal for the European Court of Human Rights
President Guido Raimondi has received the prestigious Treaties of Nijmegen Medal on behalf of the European Court of Human Rights at a ceremony in the Netherlands on Friday 18 November. The prize is awarded every two years to a key international figure or institution in recognition of their...
Official visit of the President of Poland Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej Duda today paid an official visit to the Council of Europe. Following a meeting with Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, President Duda had an exchange of views with the Ministers’ Deputies. He also met with Guido Raimondi, President of the European Court of Human...
Cybercrime: towards a new legal tool on electronic evidence
“The 15th anniversary of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime is a turning point, in that the Convention is now reaching out into the ‘clouds’,” said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, at the opening of the 2016 Octopus conference. Data, and therefore electronic...
Migrants in limbo in Europe have the right to live in dignity
“In some countries, they call them “invisible persons”, in others – “ghosts”. Throughout Europe there are many migrants, primarily rejected asylum seekers, who live in a state of protracted legal and social limbo without any long-term prospects.”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe...
European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Statement by Jürgen Ligi, Chair of the Committee of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Protecting you and your rights: the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime fifteen years on
Fifteen years after its adoption, the Budapest Convention remains the most effective international treaty on cybercrime and the rule of law in cyberspace. Achievements and challenges, such as access to electronic evidence and the use of information technology for terrorist purposes, will be...
Internment of Gypsies by France between 1940 and 1946
Special Representative for Roma Issues welcomes President Francois Hollande’s historic acknowledgement
"Public Service Media and Democracy" conference in Prague 10-11 November 2016
On 10 November 2016 in Prague, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, will open a conference on ‘Public Service Media and Democracy’. The conference is jointly organised by the Council of Europe and its...
Democracy Innovation Award
The Council of Europe’s Democracy Innovation Award goes to German initiative in favour of higher education for refugees
2016 Exchange on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue
The role of education in the prevention of radicalisation
World Forum for Democracy (7-9 November 2016, Strasbourg)
“Democracy and equality: does education matter?”
Statement by Jürgen Ligi, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Situation in Turkey
Conference in Tallinn on children’s rights in migration crisis and digital environment
An international conference on Children’s rights in the migration crisis and the digital environment is taking place in Tallinn, Estonia from 3 to 4 November 2016. It is held under the current Estonian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In his opening speech,...
Secretary General Jagland concerned about the situation of Ildar Dadin
Thorbjørn Jagland yesterday expressed his concern about allegations of ill-treatment of human rights activist Ildar Dadin in a telephone call to Alexander Konovalov, Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation. The Secretary General underlined the importance of the joint work carried out by the...
Nominations for UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award 2017
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the opening of nominations for the 2017 Nansen Refugee Award. The award is bestowed on a person or group for outstanding work on behalf of the forcibly displaced, and aims to showcase the values of perseverance and conviction...
Rotterdam: Summit of Mayors for the “Alliance of European cities against violent extremism”
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the City of Rotterdam and the European Forum for Urban Security (Efus) are organising a Summit of Mayors for the “Alliance of European cities against violent extremism” on Wednesday 9 November 2016 in Rotterdam, the...
Anti-torture committee critical of treatment and conditions of migrants and refugees in Hungary
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) welcomes cooperation of Hungarian authorities during its visit last year to detention centres and police detention facilities for foreigners, but...
The Czech Republic should improve measures to prevent corruption among MPs, judges and prosecutors
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on the Czech authorities to make substantial reforms to strengthen the prevention of corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors (see also the Czech version of the report) GRECO...
Turkey: Secretary General Jagland concerned about state of emergency measures and freedom of expression
Council of Europe of Secretary General Jagland has commented on recent developments in Turkey in a statement released on Monday: "It is highly questionable if the raid against Cumhuriyet can be justified as a proportionate measure, even under the state of emergency. I am also concerned about the...