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...
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...
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...
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...
21/04/2021 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
At its meeting in hybrid mode, the Migration Committee stressed the importance of protecting human rights for people forced to migrate by climate-change-induced disasters or hardship, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as “persons living in coastal areas, indigenous people...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE today recommended to member States a set of measures – based on the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – to remedy the “profound social disadvantage and discrimination” experienced by people with chronic and long-term illnesses. The resolution...
20/04/2021 | Session
“Europe is the continent with the highest human rights standards. (...)However, a look at Europe’s external borders and in the East of Europe shows us that, even today, peace and security, stability and welfare cannot be taken for granted,” said Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany, in a...
20/04/2021 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly, during its “hybrid” spring session, held a current affairs debate on 'Covid passports or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications'. Damien Cottier (Switzerland, ALDE) opened the debate and 6 other members took the floor.
20/04/2021 | Monitoring
The PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Poland, Azadeh Rojhan Gustafsson (Sweden, SOC) and Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD), have expressed their deep concern at the implications of the Polish Constitutional Court ruling that effectively removes the current Human Rights Defender from...
20/04/2021 | Session
“The Council of Europe’s overall priority is to remain the pillar of democratic security, the guarantor of human rights and rule of law, as well as platform for genuine multilateralism in Europe”, the Assembly said today setting out its vision of the Council of Europe's strategic priorities for...
20/04/2021 | Session
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today elected Frédéric Krenc as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Belgium. Mr Krenc, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of nine...
20/04/2021 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
The government of Germany has made a voluntary contribution of €100,000 to support the activities of PACE’s Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence and No Hate Parliamentary Alliance. The Network Women Free from Violence aims to promote the ratification and effective implementation of the...