News
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
Statement of the Spokesperson on executions in Belarus
We condemn two new executions in Belarus reported by human rights defenders. Death is not justice. Capital punishment has no proven dissuasive effect on the crime situation in any part of the world. We reiterate our call on the authorities to impose a moratorium on the application of death...
Statement by the Secretary General on the situation around the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait
Free passage of the Kerch Strait is guaranteed by the Agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine about the cooperation on the usage of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. It was signed in 2003 and came into force in 2004. According to this Agreement, the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait are...
Council of Europe welcomes decision of German bishops’ conference to commemorate victims of sexual abuse on 18 November
The Council of Europe welcomes the decision of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference (DBK) to introduce a commemoration day dedicated to the victims of sexual abuse. The Bishops’ Conference announced the annual commemoration should take place on or around the 18th November, which coincides with...
Statement on the detention of prominent academics in Turkey including Hakan Altinay
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland said: "I am very concerned by the detention of a group of academics including Hakan Altinay and will raise this alarming development with the Turkish government as a matter of urgency."
Making sport safe for children: Stop Child Sexual Abuse Day
Governments and sports organisations must redouble their efforts to break the silence surrounding sexual abuse of children in sports, prevent it and fight impunity, stressed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe ahead of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual...
Secretary General participates in Paris Armistice centenary commemoration
At the invitation of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Council of Europe Secretary General Jagland is taking part in the ceremonies to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War on 11 November in Paris. Together with other heads of state, government and international...
Speeches
Seminar on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the single European Court of Human Rights
Letters
13 December 2018
Letter to the President of the Turkish Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
06 August 2018
Letter to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset
25 July 2018
Letter to the Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras
