Reported cases of political prisoners in Europe

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 16405 | 15 May 2026

Signatories:

Ms Azadeh ROJHAN, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Sofia AMLOH, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Kolbrún Áslaugar BALDURSDÓTTIR, Iceland, SOC ; Mr Denis BEGIC, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Edite ESTRELA, Portugal, SOC ; Ms Sascha FAXE, Denmark, SOC ; Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, Monaco, ALDE ; Ms Gökçe GÖKÇEN, Türkiye, SOC ; Mr Gustaf GÖTHBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Mr Mattias JONSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA-STOJCHEVSKA, North Macedonia, SOC ; Mr Eerik-Niiles KROSS, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Fabian MOLINA, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Austria, SOC ; Mr Ivan RAČAN, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Mr Georgios STAMATIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Namık TAN, Türkiye, SOC ; Ms Sandra ZAMPA, Italy, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Council of Europe was founded to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law across the continent. The unlawful detention of individuals for political reasons is incompatible with these fundamental principles and undermines public trust in democratic institutions and judicial systems.

Reports from international organisations, civil society groups, independent media and human rights defenders continue to raise concerns about individuals detained in several European countries for the peaceful exercise of their fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Allegations of politically motivated prosecutions, misuse of criminal law and lack of judicial independence threaten the credibility of democratic institutions and the protection of human rights in Europe.

The Parliamentary Assembly should further examine reported cases of political prisoners in Europe and assess the extent to which such cases may contradict the applicable human rights standards and fall within the Assembly’s definition of political prisoner. The aim of such work should be to strengthen safeguards against politically motivated detention and to fight for the release of all political prisoners.