Newsletter July - September 2024
Council of Europe calls for enhancing international cooperation in tackling migrant smuggling
The 2nd International Conference on Migrant Smuggling, organised by the Council of Europe on 10-11 September, in Strasbourg, has called on its 46 member states to explore all pathways to strengthen international cooperation. In her opening speech, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija...
PACE Migration Sub-Committee carries out fact-finding visit to Sicily
The ad hoc Sub-Committee responsible for carrying out the fact-finding visit to Sicily (Italy) visited Lampedusa Island and the main island of Sicily on 16, 17 and 18 September, with the aim to look into the situation of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, including in hotspots, especially in...
Human Rights Commissioner maintains strong focus on migration-related issues
In addition to his speech at the 2nd International Conference on Migrant Smuggling (see the first item in the Migration Newsletter), Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, has undertaken several other migration-related activities. On 6 September, Commissioner...
CPT publishes report on ad hoc visit to Greece; visits Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina
In July, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) published its report following an ad hoc visit to Greece from 21 November to 1 December 2023, strongly urging the Greek authorities to improve the dire conditions in immigration detention facilities, particularly the...
Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine discusses risks of human trafficking, including labour and sexual exploitation
The third plenary of the Council of Europe Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU) was held in-person in Strasbourg on 1-2 July, with discussions being centred on issues relating to guardianship systems, transnational procedures and cooperation, psychological support and...
Empowering refugee women in Armenia
Four projects funded by the Council of Europe and implemented by civil society organisations (CSOs) have successfully carried out between April and September 2024. These initiatives, focused on promoting social and economic inclusion of refugee women, preventing gender-based violence against...
Council of Europe offices implement refugee-centred projects and trainings
The Council of Europe Projects “Facilitating access to human rights and essential services for internally displaced persons and returnees at the community level” and “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” launched a long-term programme on “Trauma-informed approach in the context of access to...
European Court of Human Rights rules in cases concerning migration and asylum
In the case of B.A. v. Cyprus, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the applicantsć rights to liberty and security, as well as the lawfulness of their detention, had been violated. The case concerned the lawfulness of the applicant’s detention, which occurred after they arrived...