08/04/2020 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
“It is a fact of society that there will always be whistle-blowers. Times of crisis show that we need them to safeguard our fundamental rights, but we also need them to enable us to prepare for and manage such situations more effectively,” said Sylvain Waserman.
08/04/2020 | Monitoring
Pieter Omtzigt and Azadeh Rojhan Gustafsson have expressed their concern at the possibility that the May 2020 Presidential election in Poland will be organised by postal vote during a full lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as proposed in a draft law adopted by the Polish Sejm.
07/04/2020 | President
“On this World Health Day, I call on all our countries to do everything in their power to ensure that the protection of the health, safety and psychological well-being of healthcare workers be made a top priority in the current response to COVID-19,” Rik Daems said.
07/04/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) may prove a useful ally in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, we should not forget that its use may raise serious human rights concerns that can undermine the trust placed in governments,” said Deborah Bergamini.
07/04/2020 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“It is essential that access to family planning is guaranteed even during the COVID-19 crisis, which is putting sexual and reproductive health and rights at risk,” said Petra Bayr, Chairperson of PACE’s Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination.
03/04/2020 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Pierre-Alain Fridez has welcomed yesterday's ruling by the European Court of Justice that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, by refusing to comply with the temporary mechanism for the relocation of applicants for international protection in 2015, “failed to fulfil their obligations under EU law”.
03/04/2020 | Monitoring
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and an expected sanitary crisis in Turkish detention centres, co-rapporteurs Thomas Hammarberg and John Howell have urged the Turkish authorities to ensure that any early or conditional release of prisoners is non-discriminatory and does not exclude prisoners detained on political grounds.
02/04/2020 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Boriss Cilevics, has called on Spain and Turkey to include imprisoned politicians in early releases prompted by the threat posed by the Coronavirus in overcrowded prisons.
02/04/2020 | Secretary General of the Assembly
PACE Secretary General Wojciech Sawicki held a video-conference call on 27 March with his counterparts from the OSCE-PA, Roberto Montella, and the NATO-PA, Ruxandra Popa, during which they discussed common challenges facing the three organisations as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
01/04/2020 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“European citizens are on their balconies and at their windows every evening to pay tribute to health workers, but Europe should not be content with applause and thanks,” said Luís Leite Ramos, Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs.
31/03/2020 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Frank Schwabe, Rapporteur on 'the continuing need to restore human rights and the rule of law in the North Caucasus', has called on Ramzan Kadyrov to withdraw his call for anyone found breaking coronavirus quarantine to be killed.
27/03/2020 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Throughout Europe, there are Roma and Travellers living in desperately inadequate and often in a situation of severe overcrowding. Instead of seeking additional ways to protect them, some politicians have actively fuelled anti-Gypsyism,” said František Kopřiva.