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President to address Ombudspersons conference in Moscow

12/12/2019 | President

Liliane Maury Pasquier is to address participants at the 3rd International Conference on “Human rights protection in Eurasia: exchange of best practice among Ombudspersons” taking place in Moscow on 17 December.

Abolition of the death penalty: Legal Affairs Committee draws up a situation report

11/12/2019 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The Committee on Legal Affairs drawn up a situation report on the abolition of the death penalty in Council of Europe member and observer states, Belarus and countries whose parliaments have co-operation status.

Committee reviews progress of States under monitoring in 2019

11/12/2019 | Monitoring

The committee adopted the report by Sir Roger Gale, which takes stock of its activities in 2019 and makes an assessment of the progress of the countries subject to monitoring or engaged in post-monitoring dialogue.

Committee finds Azerbaijan has a ‘systemic’ problem of political prisoners, urges reform and review of...

10/12/2019 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The Committee on Legal Affairs has found that, on the basis of factual findings of the European Court of Human Rights, a number of individuals are “political prisoners” according to PACE's definition.

Our 70-years young convention – protecting the freedom of future generations

10/12/2019 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

On the occasion of Human Rights Day 2019, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recalled the achievements of the European Convention on Human Rights on the eve of its 70th anniversary year, and looked forward to its future role in...

Protecting freedom of religion or belief in the workplace

10/12/2019 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief applies also in the workplace. The question of “accommodating the manifestation of employees’ religion or belief is thus of crucial importance”, the committee said.

Democracy hacked?

09/12/2019 | Political Affairs and Democracy

Adopting a draft resolution on “Democracy hacked? How to respond?”, a PACE committee today expressed its concern at the scale of information pollution in a digitally connected and increasingly polarised world.

Setting minimum standards for electoral systems to ensure free and fair elections

09/12/2019 | Political Affairs and Democracy

A PACE committee has invited the Venice Commission to reflect on the setting of “minimum standards with which electoral systems should comply in order to guarantee free elections and fair results thereof”.

Council of Europe leaders highlight 70 years of the Convention

09/12/2019 | President

To mark Human Rights Day (10 December), the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the President of the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly, Liliane Maury Pasquier, have issued a joint statement looking forward to the 70th anniversary of the European Convention...

Committee sets out detail of a “complementary joint procedure” when a state violates its obligations

09/12/2019 | Political Affairs and Democracy

The committee approved the basic principles involved in a “complementary joint procedure” between the Council of Europe’s two statutory bodies in response to a serious violation by a member State of its obligations.

70 years of PACE – and the women behind its greatest successes

06/12/2019 | News

A new short film which revisits the high points in the 70-year history of the PACE, with a special focus on the women who contributed to the Assembly’s success, has just premièred in Strasbourg.

Towards an internet Ombudsman institution

06/12/2019 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

In order to avoid freedom of expression being limited in a discriminatory manner while at the same time making efforts to take down illegal content on the internet, the committee has proposed establishing an Ombudsman institution.