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PACE Session
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PACE reviews the work of its subsidiary bodies since the last session

21/06/2021 | Session

The list of candidates for the post of judge at the European Court of Human Rights submitted by Croatia; the lists of candidates to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in respect of several countries; the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament 2021; the 2021 World...

 Boriss Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC)

Politicians need a particularly high level of protection of freedom of speech, but such freedom is not...

21/06/2021 | Session

“Politicians need a particularly high level of protection of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, both in parliament and when speaking to their constituents, but that freedom of speech is not unlimited and should be enforced while ensuring full respect of rule of law,” today said the...

Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Péter Szijjártó reviews the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency

21/06/2021 | Session

“Guarantees should be given to national minorities to enable them to preserve their identity, culture, religion and language in public administration, education and in the media,” said Péter Szijjártó, Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the...

Session / Hemicycle

Urgent debates on the arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny and on the functioning of democratic...

22/04/2021 | Session

During its Spring Session 2021, which took place in a hybrid format, the Assembly held urgent debates on "The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021" and on "The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey", as well as current affairs debates on "Covid passports or...

Jacques Maire (France ALDE)
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PACE invites Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to ‘use all tools at its disposal’ to free Alexei...

22/04/2021 | Session

PACE has invited the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to “use all the tools at its disposal”, including under Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to ensure full and prompt execution of the Strasbourg Court’s ruling in the case of Navalnyye v. Russia, and in particular...

Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany

Michael Roth: ‘At a time when democracy is under pressure, the German chairmanship aims to strengthen the...

22/04/2021 | Session

"At a time when democracy is under pressure, when nationalism, populism and authoritarianism are on the rise, it is important for the German Chairmanship to strengthen the Council of Europe in its core tasks, namely the defence of the rule of law, democracy and human rights,” Michael Roth, German...

Hemicycle / Session / Hémicycle

PACE calls on Turkish authorities ‘to put an end to laws and practices that contravene democratic standards’

22/04/2021 | Session

The Assembly today strongly reiterated its call on the Turkish authorities “to put an end to laws and practices that contravene democratic standards, to revise its legislation and constitutional framework in order to ensure the separation of powers, to restore freedom of speech and media freedom...

David Sassoli
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David Sassoli: 'The EU must be more efficient, more flexible, more resilient and more democratic'

21/04/2021 | Session

"We need a more efficient, more flexible, more resilient and more democratic European Union," European Parliament President David Sassoli told PACE today. Referring to the global health crisis, Mr Sassoli stressed that the only way to overcome it was "through solidarity, within Europe and with...

Belarus vote Presidential election
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Belarus is urged to carry out comprehensive reform of its electoral system

21/04/2021 | Session

PACE has urged Belarus to comprehensively reform its electoral system to bring it into line with international standards for democratic elections. Approving a resolution and recommendation based on a report by Lord Blencathra (United Kingdom, EC), the Assembly said that the current failed...

People attending pre-election meeting in Belarus, 2020
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PACE urges use of ‘Magnitsky laws’ and universal jurisdiction to bring human rights abusers to justice in...

21/04/2021 | Session

PACE is urging Council of Europe member States to use universal jurisdiction and “Magnitsky laws” to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious human rights violations in Belarus, including torture, during the recent protests and government crackdown. Approving a report by Alexandra Louis...

Dunja Mijatović

A renewed impetus is needed to narrow the gap between human rights standards and reality

21/04/2021 | Session

“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the erosion of the democratic fabric of our society on which the protection of human rights ultimately depends”, warned Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while presenting today her annual activity report covering 2020 before...

Session / Hemicycle

Montenegro: some progress, but too limited to end the post-monitoring dialogue

21/04/2021 | Session

The Assembly today commended the Montenegrin authorities for “demonstrating their sustained political will and commitment to fully respecting their obligations”, in the framework of the ongoing post-monitoring dialogue. According to the parliamentarians, the country has introduced legislation...