05/06/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Marie-Louise Bemelmans-Videc (Netherlands, EPP/CD) will represent the PACE Committee of Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the colloquy “Towards stronger implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights” at national level, organised under the Swedish Chairmanship of the Committee of...
03/06/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has urged Turkey to take “a positive attitude” to the small number of ethnic Greeks still living on the Turkish Aegean islands of Gökçeada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos) and their descendants. In a draft resolution approved yesterday, the committee welcomed a number of positive gestures already taken, but called for the fair settlement of education and land issues concerning ethnic Greeks, and steps to repair the damage done to the natural and cultural heritage of the islands.
25/04/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
For the purposes of preparing his report on the Gökçeada/Imbros and Bozcaada/Tenedos islands, Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), Rapporteur of PACE, will make a fact-finding visit from 27 April to 2 May to the two Turkish islands, where he will meet inhabitants and local authorities. He will then stop over in Ankara for talks with representatives of the Ministries of the Interior, Education, Justice and Foreign Affairs.
16/04/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
A supplementary introductory memorandum by Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) on “legal remedies for human rights violations in the North Caucasus” was yesterday declassified by PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
14/04/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, on fringe of PACE spring session, will hold on 17 April a hearing on “the situation of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member states” as part of the preparation of a report on this subject by Holger Haibach (Germany, EPP/CD). “In some member states, human rights defenders have become the target of multifaceted repression, ranging from direct use of violence to more insidious measures such as administrative obstacles and restrictive laws or defamation campaigns,” said Mr Haibach, pointing out that “very often no investigations are made into these attacks and no proceedings are instituted”.
07/04/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE member Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), today criticised draft EU anti-terror rules for failing to give due consideration to fundamental human rights. The revised Framework Decision currently being drafted defines EU-wide laws against inciting terrorist attacks, and recruiting or training terrorists, but does not spell out that these laws must be applied in line with existing international human rights standards, such as freedom of expression, association and religion.
04/04/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE rapporteur on secret detentions Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) has strongly criticised what he called the “hypocrisy” of European governments in continuing to deny their involvement in secret detentions or illegal renditions, unlike the United States. Speaking at a Brussels conference about reporting on torture, Mr Marty said: “The United States made a choice – which I think was a wrong choice – to fight the war on terror using illegal means, but they at least made it openly and defend it. European governments, on the other hand, have been entirely hypocritical since their complicity has been clandestine. Even now, they do not have the courage to declare their involvement, unless forced to do so.”
20/03/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Illegal renditions and secret detentions in Europe, as well as the unfairness of procedures used by the UN Security Council and the EU to blacklist people with alleged links to terrorism, are the main themes of a major conference on “anti-terrorist measures and human rights” taking place in Athens on 28 March 2008. Organised by Greece’s Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights (MFHR) in collaboration with PACE, the conference will bring together parliamentarians, leading academics and experts to discuss why and how terrorism should be fought within international law.
19/03/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (Germany, ALDE), Rapporteur of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly on the Gongadze case, welcomed the conviction of three former police officers for the killing of Georgiy Gongadze, a Ukrainian journalist whose disappearance in September 2000 gave rise to allegations that senior officials of the Kuchma administration were involved. "While I welcome the conviction of the three police officers, I must insist that the Gongadze file is not closed until the instigators and organisers of this crime have also been held to account.
11/03/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Dick Marty, PACE Rapporteur on secret detentions and illegal transfers of detainees in Europe, has protested against President Bush's veto of a law aimed at banning the use of waterboarding: "Waterboarding is a mock execution, no more, no less. It ranks as torture under internationally recognised definitions.It is deplorable that President Bush has opposed both Congress and Senate by using his veto", he said.
07/03/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Speaking in Paris today, Louis-Georges Tin, founder of IDAHO (International Day against Homophobia), recalled a time when Jews had no right to associate, express their views or marry as they wished. Wondering whether this was anti-Semitism, he said that he felt that it was. He was addressing the members of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights during a hearing on freedom of expression and assembly for LGBT in Council of Europe member states and on legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.
05/03/2008 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
A parliamentary hearing on “the legal recognition of same-sex partnerships”, organised by PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights will take place in Paris on Friday 7 March 2008. The hearing, involving parliamentarians, academics and representatives of the International Lesbian and Gay Association ILGA Europe, will also focus on freedom of assembly and expression for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons in the 47 Council of Europe member states.