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Committee denounces silencing of critical voices in Azerbaijan

29/05/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Tallinn on 27 May, has expressed its deep concern regarding the systemic pattern of “silencing critical voices in Azerbaijan”, including through restrictive legislative measures – notably the Law on the Media, the Law on Political...

PACE committee condemns ‘transnational repression’ and urges new laws to stop it
©Erik Peinar

PACE committee condemns ‘transnational repression’ and urges new laws to stop it

28/05/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

PACE’s Legal Affairs Committee has condemned all forms of “transnational repression” – a form of foreign interference used by authoritarian regimes to repress political dissidents, journalists, human rights defenders and members of diaspora communities beyond their borders – and has urged new...

Committee concerned about the situation of ICC judges and prosecutors, who are subject to repressive measures
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Committee concerned about the situation of ICC judges and prosecutors, who are subject to repressive...

27/05/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Tallinn, made the following statement on the coercive measures imposed on judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court : "The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of...

Update to the Venice Commission’s Rule of Law Checklist: ‘a crucial benchmark for evaluating the health of the rule of law in member states’
©Philippe Fitte

Update to the Venice Commission’s Rule of Law Checklist: ‘a crucial benchmark for evaluating the health of...

22/05/2026 | Standing Committee

The PACE Standing Committee, meeting today in Monaco, welcomed the Venice Commission’s proactive stance in updating the Rule of Law Checklist to reflect the challenges to the rule of law and lessons drawn from developments in its 61 member states. The committee contributed to the update...

Anar Mammadli

PACE rapporteur calls for the immediate release of Anar Mammadli

29/04/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The General Rapporteur for political prisoners of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Azadeh Rojhan (Sweden, SOC), made the following statement on the second anniversary of Anar Mammadli’s detention in Azerbaijan: “Today marks exactly two years since Anar Mammadli, a...

PACE launches a new network to promote implementation of Strasbourg Court rulings

PACE launches a new network to promote implementation of Strasbourg Court rulings

21/04/2026 | European Convention on Human Rights

The Assembly is creating a new network of its members to encourage states to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The network will bring together parliamentarians from all the member states to encourage governments to execute judgments and to drive forward the legislative...

The European Court of Human Rights Building
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Ahead of Chișinău declaration, PACE committee calls on states to preserve the integrity of the ECHR system

21/04/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Statement on the forthcoming Chișinău political declaration on the European Convention on Human Rights, adopted on 21 April 2026 by PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights: “Strengthened by its 75-year history, the European Convention on Human Rights is an essential part of Europe’s...

Abzas Media
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PACE rapporteur strongly condemns harsh final sentences against journalists in Azerbaijan

17/04/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Christophe Lacroix (Belgium, SOC), PACE rapporteur for “Threats to life and safety of journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan”, made the following statement today: “I am deeply disappointed by the recent decisions of Azerbaijan’s Supreme Court rejecting the appeals of imprisoned...

PACE rapporteur strongly urges Knesset members to oppose ‘discriminatory’ bill expanding the death penalty in Israel

PACE rapporteur strongly urges Knesset members to oppose ‘discriminatory’ bill expanding the death penalty...

27/03/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Gala Veldhoen (Netherlands, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, made the following statement today: “I am deeply concerned about the bill currently under discussion in Israel which would introduce death...

‘The death penalty does not make society safer,’ says General Rapporteur

PACE committee deeply concerned at proposal to expand the death penalty in Israel

18/03/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

A committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed “deep concern” at ongoing legislative proposals before the Israeli Knesset that would expand the death penalty in Israel. Approving a draft resolution based on a report by Gala Veldhoen (Netherlands, SOC...

Riigikogu of Estonia

PACE rapporteur welcomes Estonia’s parliamentary support for a Tribunal to try the crime of aggression...

17/02/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Titus Corlăţean (Romania, SOC), PACE's rapporteur on accountability for the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, has issued the following statement on Estonia's approval of the future agreement establishing the Management Committee of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of...

Holding accountable the perpetrators and beneficiaries of the crime identified by Sergei Magnitsky

Holding accountable the perpetrators and beneficiaries of the crime identified by Sergei Magnitsky

13/02/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs has reiterated its call “for all those responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, as well as the beneficiaries of the fraud he uncovered, to be held accountable”. Mr Magnitsky, a Russian tax adviser and auditor, uncovered a US$230 million fraud perpetrated by...