24/01/2023 | 16:01:39 You are right, all of our member States are bound by the European Convention on Human Rights and that includes the presumption of innocence, that includes the prohibition of torture or inhuman and degrading treatment. That being said, it applies to all countries and including the case you are mentioning. I am sure that this is a matter to be handled by the Belgian judicial system and I must say that from the experience we have, I trust the system of checks and balances in Belgium but, of... 24/01/2023 | 15:55:27 Well, let me start by saying that I deeply deplore the decision of the Regional Court of Appeal on 28 December which upheld the judgment from an Istanbul Court sentencing Osman Kavala on life imprisonment, disregarding ECHR judgment. And I only can say that this is another step in the wrong direction. I know that Mr Kavala has appealed to this judgment, so at least in judicial terms there are still avenues which can correct this wrongdoing, I would say, and wrong taking. It was clearly said... 24/01/2023 | 15:46:57 Certainly, and as a starting point, Reykjavik will provide national government national leaders with the opportunity to respond to current events by recommitting to our European values and standards. The European Convention must be implemented. The judgments of the European Court of Human Rights must be executed always swiftly and in full by all our member states. Our range of instruments must continue to do their good work in tackling everything: from the rights of national and language... 24/01/2023 | 15:39:14 Ladies and Gentlemen of the Parliament, It is a pleasure to address you in what will be an important year for Europe. I think it is fair to say that since I became Secretary General of this organisation, our continent has faced challenges not seen since the creation of the Council of Europe: a pandemic that has killed millions and required enormous changes to our way of life, the return of military aggression on a scale that many thought impossible, and the terrible consequences that have... 11/10/2022 | 17:54:07 Thank you very much. Concerning the horrible things that are happening and happened recently in Japan, sorry, in Iran, it's really appalling. One cannot but say, and I think that the Istanbul Convention is one of those that goes against violence against women and girls and domestic violence. Indeed, again, we are 46, and Iran is not part of that. But some of our conventions are gold standard in its field, and this is the one. Secondly, this is one of those that aims to reach outside of our... 11/10/2022 | 17:49:17 Thank you very much. For the issue of Armenia and Azerbaijan, you know I made some statements at different stages of the conflicts and escalation that happened, but also our other bodies of the Council of Europe have reacted on different levels, at different situations, including the court with the interim measures, asking for prisoners of war to be exchanged. The Commissioner of Human Rights has also clearly made some recommendations for what is from her point of view gross human rights... 11/10/2022 | 17:44:57 Thank you for coming back to the EPC. There was one part which I didn't respond to before. So those who were invited were at the summit, so there were 43 member states, not all, unfortunately not all of our member states, and the EU President of the European Council and President of the Commission. That doesn't mean that we should not remain in contact with the EPC as I mentioned earlier. I think co-ordination is always needed where there are different international fora which may be of... 11/10/2022 | 17:39:53 This was the issue that actually took quite a part of my visit, which I paid to give with president Zelenskyy and with the foreign minister Kuleba. Indeed, their proposal and argumentation that such a tribunal doesn't exist, that accountability including the crime of aggression would be an important advancement of, if you wanted, of accountability on international level. So they pleaded for the Council of Europe, as Council of Europe was in the forefront of international organisations, to... 11/10/2022 | 17:33:33 Thank you very much. We also tackled quite extensively EPC, I think, at least in the meeting we just attended. EPC is a new initiative. It held its first meeting for the summit only last week and for the moment we cannot say from the themes that were discussed at the first EPC summit and from the communication that was given after the summit, I think it is clear, and I agree with your statement, that the political community in regard to European political community as regards human rights... 11/10/2022 | 17:30:35 Thank you very much. I think in that respect was very useful the meeting that we just attended. I think the willingness not only from your group but from the more parliamentary side, was to be more included. I think in the concluding remarks it was clear that the Irish incoming chair assured what is according to the division of labour, if I may say, it will be done by the Irish preparation for the summit. But I think, you know, we need.. and this gives me also an opportunity to underline the...