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Václav Havel Human Rights Prize: the dream is not over

04/02/2015 | President

"Václav Havel was a dissident, a statesman and a man with dreams. When he addressed PACE in 1990, he said: ‘Without dreaming of a better Europe we shall never build a better Europe’,” PACE President stressed.

‘A law meant for spies is being used against whistleblowers’

30/01/2015 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Whistleblowers from the US and the EU recounted the problems they faced in trying to expose what they believed to be wrongdoing in the organisations they worked for, testifying at a hearing of PACE’s Legal Affairs Committee.

Disability: putting an end to the culture of institutionalisation

30/01/2015 | Session

“Equality and inclusion for people with disabilities are rarely seen as priorities and these people are often invisible to the rest of the population,” the Assembly stated in a debate.

General rapporteur appalled by execution of two men with intellectual disabilities

30/01/2015 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

“I am gravely disturbed at the execution this week, in Georgia and Texas respectively, of Warren Hill and Robert Ladd – both of whom seem to have a well-documented intellectual disability,” said Marietta Karamanli.

Call for reliable and durable protection for witnesses who stand up for truth and justice

30/01/2015 | Session

“Witnesses who stand up for truth and justice must be guaranteed reliable and durable protection, including legal and psychological support and robust physical protection before, during and after the trial,” PACE said today.

The No Hate Parliamentary Alliance is launched

29/01/2015 | Equality and Non-Discrimination

Attending the launch of the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance, Anne Brasseur invited her colleagues to shout out against all forms of intolerance, raising the alarm and expressing their democratic and civil consciousness.

Freedom of expression ends where violence begins

29/01/2015 | Session

In his speech today to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland addressed the crisis in Ukraine, freedom of expression and the fight against terrorism.

PACE spells out steps to keep journalists safe

29/01/2015 | Session

Declaring that “democracy and the protection of human rights depend on media freedom”, PACE has called for a series of steps to keep journalists safe and enable them to work freely.

Tackling intolerance and discrimination with a special focus on Christians

29/01/2015 | Session

PACE expressed its concern following “numerous acts of hostility, violence and vandalism recorded in recent years against Christians and their places of worship,” these acts being often overlooked by the national authorities in Europe.

PACE calls for rules on parliamentarians switching parties mid-term

29/01/2015 | Session

The Assembly has called on national parliaments in the Council of Europe’s 47 member States to “look in depth” at the whole question of parliamentarians switching political allegiance mid-term.

Official launch of the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance

29/01/2015 | Equality and Non-Discrimination

On 29 January 2015, the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance was officially launched in the presence of Anne Brasseur and Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni who expressed their wholehearted support for the initiative.

PACE elects its committee Chairpersons

28/01/2015 | Session

The committees of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected their Chairpersons: