Letter

Bosnia and Herzegovina: the authorities of Republika Srpska should refrain from further restricting the rights of NGOs

21/09/2023 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Nenad Stevandić, published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, raises concerns about the Draft Law on Special Registry and Transparency of the Work of Non-Profit...

Read More

Letter

Azerbaijan: concerns about the disproportionate use of force by police during environmental protests and restrictions to the work of human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists

24/07/2023 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Vilayat Eyvazov, published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, raises concerns about the recent dispersal of environmental protests and the arrests of participants in the Soyudlu...

Read More

Statement

Online threats against Finnish journalist Ida Erämaa should be investigated and condemned

06/07/2023 Strasbourg

“I am following with concern the smear campaign against journalist Ida Erämaa in Finland. This is a serious case which should not remain unsanctioned” said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović. “Since publishing a newspaper column over the weekend which...

Read More

Statement

Oleg Orlov's trial is a travesty of justice

07/06/2023 Strasbourg

“Oleg Orlov's trial which begins tomorrow, is a travesty of justice that shows contempt for the most basic human rights”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović. “Oleg Orlov - a prominent human rights defender and long-time partner of my office – faces a...

Read More

Human Rights Comment

Crackdowns on peaceful environmental protests should stop and give way to more social dialogue

02/06/2023 Strasbourg

Environmental pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss are among the most urgent existential threats to humankind and to human rights. In response, many people in Europe and beyond have seen fit to take to the streets and to try new, often disruptive, forms of peaceful protest to demand...

Read More

Country visit report

Spain: address housing and health inequalities, safeguard freedoms of expression and assembly and provide safe and legal access to the territory for people seeking asylum

10/05/2023 Strasbourg

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović published today the report on her visit to Spain carried out in November 2022, with recommendations on social rights, in particular the right to housing and the right to health, the freedoms of expression and assembly and the human...

Read More

Statement

The Turkish authorities must protect democratic freedoms

05/05/2023 Strasbourg

The Turkish authorities should put an end to the hostile environment affecting human rights defenders, journalists, NGOs and lawyers and stop silencing them by means of administrative and judicial action. Ahead of elections, the pressure on these important actors in a democratic society has...

Read More

World Press Freedom Day

States should honor the importance of free press by ensuring journalists can do their job freely and safely

03/05/2023 New York

"Attacks and threats against journalists have risen at an alarming rate. This is dangerous both for journalists and for democracy. There is an urgent need for member states to close the gap between standards and reality," said Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović, after...

Read More

Annual report 2022

Annual Report 2022: Commissioner Mijatović calls for renewed commitment to human rights protection to address numerous systemic problems

24/04/2023 Strasbourg

“The protection of human rights in Europe has suffered serious setbacks in 2022,” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, presenting her Annual Report today. “A renewed commitment to human rights is needed to reverse the trend.” The report largely focuses on the...

Read More

Statement

Demonstrations in France: freedoms of expression and assembly must be protected against all forms of violence

24/03/2023 Strasbourg

"In the context of the social movement against the pension reform in France, the freedoms of expression and assembly are being exercised under worrying conditions," the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, said today. "It is the responsibility of the authorities to...

Read More

Country visit

Serbia: more efforts needed to face the past, increase safety of journalists and human rights defenders, and protect women from violence

17/03/2023 Belgrade

“It is high time for Serbia to face the legacy of the past, to protect media freedom and freedom of assembly, and to fulfil its commitments on women’s rights and gender equality” said today Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of a visit to the country...

Read More

Letter

Commissioner urges the Georgian Parliament to reject the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence”

28/02/2023 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia published today, Commissioner Mijatović expresses concerns that the adoption of the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence” may have a serious chilling effect on the work of civil society organisations in Georgia. “Such a...

Read More

Human Rights Comment

Highly intrusive spyware threatens the essence of human rights

27/01/2023 Strasbourg

Over 18 months have passed since an international coalition of brave investigative journalists released the Pegasus Project. The disclosure of the leak of over 50,000 phone numbers, including those of many human rights defenders, journalists, academics, and opposition leaders, that had been...

Read More

Statement

Greek authorities should reverse the trend undermining the work of human rights defenders and journalists

12/01/2023 Strasbourg

The hostile environment in which human rights defenders, civil society and journalists work in Greece has been an issue of concern for several years. Smear campaigns targeting individuals defending human rights, cumbersome NGO registration procedures and undue pressure on journalists have...

Read More

Country visit report

United Kingdom: Commissioner warns against regression on human rights, calls for concrete steps to protect children’s rights and to tackle human rights issues in Northern Ireland

09/12/2022 Strasbourg

“Both the overall system for protecting human rights, and the rights of specific groups, are currently under pressure in the United Kingdom (UK). The authorities should spare no effort to reverse this trend”, warns today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while...

Read More

Country visit

Spain should advance social rights, better guarantee freedoms of expression and assembly and improve human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants

29/11/2022 Strasbourg

“Spain has made significant efforts to advance the protection of social rights in recent years. Crucial legislative reforms, currently pending in Parliament, provide an opportunity to align Spanish legislation with international and European human rights standards, including in the field of the...

Read More

Speech

Speech at the European Anti-SLAPP Conference

20/10/2022 Strasbourg

Speech given at the Council of Europe European Anti-SLAPP Conference Dear President Metsola, Dear Vice-President Jurová, Dear Secretary General Pejčinović Burić, dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, I can hardly see a better occasion than today’s conference to reinforce synergies to tackle SLAPPs,...

Read More

Speech

Speech at European Parliament seminar on safeguarding media freedom in Europe

19/10/2022 Strasbourg

At the European Parliament seminar on media freedom organised for the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize 2022, the Council of Europe Commissioner for human rights gave the following speech: Dear Vice-President Picierno, Dear Matthew, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great honour for me to be among the...

Read More

Memorandum

Kosovo*: address shortcomings in the field of transitional justice and social cohesion, freedom of the media, and women’s rights and gender equality

18/10/2022 Strasbourg

“More than two decades after the armed conflict in Kosovo, social cohesion is still hampered by impunity for war-related crimes, unresolved cases of missing persons, lack of access to reparations for all war victims, obstacles to sustainable returns of displaced persons and ethnic divisions”,...

Read More

Statement

Member states should provide more support to Russian and Belarusian human rights defenders

12/10/2022 Strasbourg

The recent awards of the Nobel Peace Prize and of the Vaclav Havel Prize to human rights defenders from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine is an additional recognition by the international community of the crucial role defenders play in advancing and protecting human rights for all, especially in times...

Read More