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Member states must include the issue of the fundamental rights of religious communities in their external...

18/03/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

The Political Affairs Committee of the PACE, meeting in Rabat today, recommended that, in their external relations, member states take into account the question of respect for the fundamental rights of religious communities and the matter of their protection.

In Rabat, Moroccan authorities brief PACE committee on progress with reforms

14/03/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Leading members of Morocco’s parliament and government yesterday briefed PACE’s Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, meeting in Rabat, on the progress that has been made in strengthening human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the country since the Moroccan Parliament became PACE’s first ever “Partner for democracy” nearly two years ago.

Progress of reforms in Morocco under the spotlight at PACE meeting in Rabat

08/03/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

The progress of reforms in Morocco and the state of the country’s co-operation with the Council of Europe will be the main focus of parliamentary hearings during a meeting of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy in Rabat on Wednesday 13 March.

The transition process in Tunisia must not be jeopardised, says PACE rapporteur

21/02/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

“We are following the latest political developments in Tunisia, following the murder of Chokri Belaid, leader of one of the opposition parties two weeks ago, attentively and with great concern. I endorse the statement made on this subject by Jean-Claude Mignon, President of our Assembly, and I condemn this crime which is aimed at destabilising the democratic transition process in Tunisia,” said Anne Brasseur (Luxembourg, ALDE), PACE rapporteur on Tunisia.

Iran: PACE Political Affairs Committee Chairperson calls for release of Green Movement leaders

15/02/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

“The Iranian government should immediately and unconditionally release the Iranian Green Movement leaders, who have been held under arbitrary house arrest for exactly two years,” said Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.

PACE rapporteur makes fact-finding visit to Turkey

12/02/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Lord John E. Tomlinson (United Kingdom, SOC), PACE rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, will make a fact-finding visit to Turkey on 14 February 2013, in preparation for his report on “Increasing drug traffic from Afghanistan as a threat to European security”.

PACE rapporteur welcomes the opening of voter registration in Gaza

11/02/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Today’s opening of 257 election registration centres in Gaza, Palestine, might “pave the way for parliamentary and presidential elections later this year”, according to Tiny Kox (Netherlands, UEL), PACE rapporteur on evaluation of the partnership for democracy with the Palestinian National Council.

Pietro Marcenaro: Israel should not suspend its relations with the UN Human Rights Council

30/01/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chair of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and rapporteur on the Middle East, has called on the Israeli government to reconsider its decision to boycott the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and suspend its relations with the UN Human Rights Council. The UPR is a mechanism whereby the Human Rights Council reviews the human rights records of all UN member states.

Evaluation of the partnership for democracy with the Parliament of Morocco

14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 – The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy meeting today in Turin has declassified an introductory memorandum on the evaluation of the partnership for democracy with the Parliament of Morocco on the basis of a report by Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD).

EBRD: the committee calls for more cooperation

14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 – In adopting in Turin today a draft resolution on the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2010-2012, based on a report by Tuur Elzinga (Netherlands, UEL), the committee congratulated the EBRD on its new system for evaluating transition in the reference countries.

The committee proposes intensifying and amplifying dialogue with the Kosovo* Assembly

14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 - The draft resolution adopted today in Turin, based on a report by Björn Von Sydow (Sweden, SOC), stresses the need for the Council of Europe to maintain direct working relations with the Kosovo authorities at all levels in order to ensure due implementation of the Council of Europe co-operation activities.

Human rights values represent ‘supra-national’ common interests, says PACE President

13/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy

The human rights and democratic values at the heart of the European project represent “supra-national” common interests which all states must respect, PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon has said, opening a major conference today in Turin on human rights and foreign policy. The conference, organised by PACE in co-operation with the Italian Senate’s Human Rights Committee and the Italian Chamber of Deputies, brings together over 100 participants.