News
Secretary General Jagland’s meeting with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Secretary General Jagland today met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. They discussed the increasing cooperation between the Council of Europe...
Secretary General: Decision by Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) to bar elected candidates from taking office raises questions of rule of law
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has written to the President of the Supreme Electoral Board of Turkey, Mr Sadi Güven Letter
Ready for future challenges: Thorbjørn Jagland urges member states to reinforce the Council of Europe
In his last annual report after ten years as Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland has urged the Council of Europe’s 47 member states to reinforce the organisation, to make sure that it is properly financed and to develop new legal standards on emerging challenges to human rights and democracy....
Meeting of Secretary General Jagland and Human Rights Commissioner Mijatović with Tatiana Moskalkova, High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović met in Strasbourg today with Tatiana Moskalkova, High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, to discuss cooperation with the Council of Europe and Human Rights Commissioner Mijatović’s contact...
Secretary General Jagland to attend NGO conference in Warsaw, meeting with Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will open an international conference on the role of NGOs at Warsaw University, Poland, on Friday 22 March, together with Polish Foreign Minister Mr. Jacek Czaputowicz. The conference, organised by the Polish Foreign Ministry, the Council of...
Secretary General Jagland condemns the deadly mosques attack in New Zealand
On behalf of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has made the following statement: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, that has left so many people dead and seriously wounded. Our deepest...
Secretary General calls on Albanian opposition to remain in parliament, warns against violence
Expressing concern about the decision of the opposition to withdraw from Parliament, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland said: “In a democracy the legislature is the first instance where political issues affecting the whole country should be debated and solutions...
Statement by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland on the anti-Semitic acts committed last night in Alsace
I unreservedly condemn the anti-Semitic, barbaric and disgusting acts of desecration of the Jewish cemetery in the Alsatian town of Quatzenheim, not far from Strasbourg, where the Council of Europe has its headquarters. I express my complete solidarity with the Jewish community, which has once...
Statement by the Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland about Tomi Ungerer
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, today expressed his deep sorrow at the news of the death of the Alsatian illustrator Tomi Ungerer. "Today we have lost a great artist, and a committed European. The values of justice and humanism for which Europe is a vehicle were...
Greek parliament vote over "Republic of North Macedonia" welcomed by Secretary General
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has welcomed the vote in the Greek parliament today that promises to bring an end to the 27-year dispute over its northern neighbour's name. “The vote in Greece to approve the name "Republic of North Macedonia" is both...
Holocaust memorial ceremony
The President of Finland Sauli Niinistö has attended a ceremony in front of the Council of Europe’s headquarters in Strasbourg, to mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. In his address Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland underlined the importance of...
Secretary General to PACE: Russian people would suffer most if Russia leaves the Council of Europe
Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly for the last time during a January session, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland expressed his satisfaction that the European Court of Human Rights was now on firmer ground than when he was elected in 2009. At that time, the credibility of the Convention...
Secretary General visits Vatican for audience with Pope Francis
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will be in Vatican City on Thursday on an official visit to the Holy See for an audience with Pope Francis. Meetings are scheduled with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and other members of the Curia. The...
Thorbjørn Jagland statement following the death of Paweł Adamowicz
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has made the following statement in reaction to the death of Gdańsk Mayor Paweł Adamowicz: “I am deeply saddened to learn that the Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, has died following the horrendous knife attack at a...
Demonstrations in France – Council of Europe condemns attacks on journalists
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, today condemned in the strongest possible terms the threats and attacks against journalists at recent demonstrations by the “yellow vest” protesters in France, noting that working conditions for the press have been steadily...
Statement by the Spokesperson on a death sentence in Belarus
Today we have learned with regret about another death sentence in Belarus, pronounced by the Mogilev Regional Court. We hope that this decision can be overturned by a higher instance court. The Council of Europe continues to call on Belarus to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty as the...
Private Office procedure on Human Rights Defenders
Those who defend human rights should never face retribution for their principled stance. That’s why I put in place a new mechanism in May 2017 to assist human rights defenders who believe that they have been subject to reprisals for their interaction with the Council of Europe. This procedure is...
Turkish train crash: Council of Europe extends condolences and solidarity
The Council of Europe has expressed its sadness and solidarity with Turkey concerning those killed and injured in the train crash in Ankara. Secretary General Jagland has written a letter of condolence to President Erdogan. Letter to the President of the Turkish Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Terrorist attack in Strasbourg
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland
Secretary General backs UN migration pact
“The human rights of refugee and migrant children deserve special protection,” says Thorbjørn Jagland
Speeches
Event to launch the first directory of European films on VOD (“LUMIERE VOD”)
Warsaw Conference on the role and position of NGOs in the Council of Europe
Seminar on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the single European Court of Human Rights
Letters
