News

Statement by Committee of Ministers Chair, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs
“On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, I reaffirm Iceland’s steadfast commitment to gender equality and the protection of the hard-earned progress concerning the human rights of women and girls. Together, we must combat all forms of violence against women and...
Barnahus model helps children who suffered sexual abuse from feeling like victims for a second time, say Council of Europe leaders
Ahead of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse marked on 18 November, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić and Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,...
Secretary General in Berlin for the Opening Ceremony of the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty
“Death is not justice. Capital punishment replaces justice with revenge. This has to be wrong – and it must be stopped”, said Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić in a panel discussion at the opening of the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty which is held from 15-18 November in...
Iceland takes over Chairmanship of Committee of Ministers
Iceland has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Ireland during a meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 46 member states. The incoming Chair – Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir –...
Astrea Justice (Zimbabwe) wins Council of Europe’s Democracy Innovation Award
At the closing session of the 10th World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its 2022 Democracy Innovation Award was the Justice Code Foundation Trust (Zimbabwe) for its human rights remedy application Astrea Justice. The Justice Code Foundation Trust uses...
4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
“I would like to praise the Committee of Ministers’ decision to hold a 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. It is a clear sign of strong commitment for our founding values: human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The Summit will be a unique opportunity to...
Collecting equality data, developing policies and guidance among peers: Equality bodies across South/East Europe equipped with new tools to address hate speech
The third and the final workshop on “Addressing hate speech through improving data collection” for equality bodies from Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership region took place on 18-19 October 2022, in Strasbourg. As the previous two events on this subject this year (June, July 2022), but...
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October
On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe firmly reiterate their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty at all times, in all places and in all circumstances. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the...
European ministers adopt “Dublin Declaration” on preventing violence through equality
Thirty-eight member states have backed a “Dublin Declaration” pledging a series of steps to promote gender equality in order to help prevent domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The declaration is inspired by the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on violence against women, and...
Hostilities around Armenian-Azerbaijan border: statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
“Reports of escalating armed hostilities around the Armenian-Azerbaijani border are very alarming. Disagreements between Council of Europe member States must be resolved peacefully through negotiations. Recent direct contacts between the highest authorities of both countries were promising and...

Human rights in the armed forces in focus of a study visit to Sweden of a delegation of Armenia’s Ministry of Defence and the Human Rights Defender’s Office staff
On 22-23 November 2022, a delegation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Human Rights Defender’s Office of the Republic of Armenia (HRDO) consisting of 12 persons, participated in a study visit held in Swedish Armed Forces´ Headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. The visit was organized within...
Lawyers and judges discussed the ways to improve their professional interaction
On 25 November an online event - joint meeting of judges and lawyers was organised to discuss the implementation of Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) Opinion no. 16 of 2013 on the relations between judges and lawyers. The event gathered participants from Armenia, Georgia, the...
Talking about fight against domestic violence and violence against women
According to civil society organizations, the hotline receives about three thousand calls about violence in Armenia every year. Anna Hovhannisyan, the consultant of the Council of Europe on gender equality issues presents in the podcast the causes, types of gender violence and possible ways to...
No to violence in the family
Violence has no place in the family. Violence and discrimination are fundamentally unacceptable. Often it is not possible to end the violence. Ending violence is not only a woman's problem. The state has an obligation and effective measures to protect, support and prevent further violence against...
Website of the Court of Cassation of Armenia launched and available online for public
A website of the Court of Cassation was developed with the support of the Council of Europe and is available online since November 2022. The Council of Europe has been working closely with the Armenian judiciary to facilitate the effective implementation of European human rights standards, thus...
Delegation from the Ministry of Health of Armenia visits the Council of Europe
On 14-16 November, a delegation from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, met in Strasbourg with representatives and officials of several departments of the Council of Europe. The delegation from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia included the heads of Legal, Human...
Concluding Event of “Asylum and Human Rights” course through “Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals” programme
On 22 November 2022, a closing event of the “Asylum and Human Rights” HELP/UNHCR course was organised jointly with Council of Europe, UNHCR Armenia and the UNHCR Representation to the European Institutions in Strasburg aimed to strengthen the capacity of lawyers, prosecutors, judges, public...
The first ever vocational training center for probation beneficiaries opened in Armenia
The Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia in co-operation with the "Legal Education and Rehabilitation Program’s Implementation Center" SNCO have opened the first of its kind "Professional Training Centre" for probation beneficiaries in Ararat region of Armenia...
The Armenian Probation Service exploring the Czech experience in the area of probation
A study visit for the staff of the Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice of Armenia took place in Prague, Czech Republic where they met with the representatives of the Probation and Mediation Service, Prison Service and several non-governmental organisations. During the visit, the members...
The personnel of the Department of Social Protection of the Military of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia were trained on the specifics of social service
On 12-13 November 2022 the Council of Europe under the Project “Human rights and women in the armed forces of Armenia-Phase II” (‘the Project’) organised a workshop for the personnel of the Department of Social Protection of the Military of the Armenian Ministry of Defence on the specifics of the...



