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Istanbul Convention event
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10th anniversary of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention: 'Nothing will make us back down'

23/06/2021 | Session

“As we seat here and debate, women will be beaten to death. And we are not just talking about a few cases, but about thousands and thousands and thousands of acts of violence. Just think about it”, PACE President Rik Daems said at the opening of an event organized in the framework of the PACE...

Roberto Rampi

A ‘right to know’ to combat disinformation and manipulation

22/06/2021 | Session

The Assembly urged European governments to create a broad “right to know” – consisting of maximum transparency in public life, a vibrant and diverse media, and a rich educational and cultural environment – in order to encourage democratic participation and combat “post-truth” disinformation and...

Damien Cottier
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PACE clarifies legal and human rights pre-conditions for the use of Covid passes

22/06/2021 | Session

PACE has clarified the pre-conditions necessary for the use of Covid passes, declaring their use “fraught with legal and human rights complications”. The use of such passes, which would partially lift Covid restrictions for holders, “above all depends on a high degree of certainty about medical...

The European Court of Human Rights
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PACE elects Davor Derenčinović judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Croatia

22/06/2021 | Session

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today elected Davor Derenčinović as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Croatia. Mr Derenčinović, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of...

Sport and Covid 19
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Including sport in national recovery and resilience measures in the face of Covid-19

22/06/2021 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

In a declaration adopted unanimously today, the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media called on public authorities to give full attention to sport in the development of anti-covid measures and to work with the sport movement to find ways to mitigate the damaging impacts of the crisis...

Baroness Doris Massey

Helping the children of ‘Generation Covid’ to overcome the devastating impact of the pandemic

22/06/2021 | Session

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children has been devastating, according to PACE, and “Generation Covid” – as they are sometimes referred to – will face the consequences for many years to come, unless European governments take adequate measures. Unanimously approving a report today by...

Andrej Hunko
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Overcoming the socio-economic crisis sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic

22/06/2021 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly today expressed its deep concern about the situation of the vulnerable population affected by the socio-economic crisis sparked by the pandemic. “The recession caused by the Covid-19 has resulted in deep shortfalls in resources for enterprises, workers and States, as...

Climate change crisis global warming environment wind hurricane tornado tropical storm weather

Citizens' assemblies to tackle climate change

22/06/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy

In order to respond to the urgency of the climate crisis, governments need to combine “a clear political engagement and top-down leadership” that allows for meaningful contributions from citizens, according to the Political Affairs Committee, meeting in Strasbourg and by videoconference. The...

Mr Katrougalos, head of PACE observer team in Yerevan for the summer 2021 parliamentary elections.

Armenia’s early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarised and marred by...

21/06/2021 | Elections

Armenia’s early parliamentary elections were competitive and well-managed within a short time frame. However, they were characterised by intense polarisation and marred by increasingly inflammatory language from key contestants, as well as by the sidelining of women throughout the campaign...

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...