02/10/2024 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed deep concern at “the disproportionately harsh treatment” faced by Julian Assange and said this has had a “dangerous chilling effect” which undermines the protection of journalists and whistleblowers around the world...
02/10/2024 | Session
Following a request addressed to the President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) by the Public Prosecutor General and Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland, the Assembly today decided to waive the immunity of PACE member Marcin Romanowski (Poland, EC/DA) “to allow...
02/10/2024 | Session
“It is time to put even more pressure on Russia and ensure its full accountability for its crimes,” said Gabrielius Landsbergis, President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, when addressing the Parliamentary Assembly. “Only this way will we lay the path...
02/10/2024 | Session
PACE today congratulated the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the pace of reforms since 2022, which has allowed the opening of the accession negotiations with the EU in March 2024. However, it remains concerned about “the lack of progress in some areas crucial for the functioning of...
02/10/2024 | Session
PACE has demanded that prisoners of war and civilians held in Russian captivity be treated in line with international humanitarian law and human rights standards, pledging to “remain involved until the last captive is released”. A total of 65 956 servicemen and civilians have been registered...
01/10/2024 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Julian Assange, accompanied by his wife Stella, took part in a parliamentary hearing on his detention and conviction - and their chilling effect on human rights - ahead of a full plenary debate on this topic by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) due on Wednesday 2 October...
01/10/2024 | Election of Judges
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today elected Anna Adamska-Gallant as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Poland. Ms Adamska-Gallant, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of...
01/10/2024 | Session
"On 24 January, our Assembly resolved not to ratify the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation. The Assembly was among other things worried about the lack of cooperation in monitoring procedure and lack of invitation to observe the early presidential election of 7 February. It also cited the...
01/10/2024 | Session
Opening a current affairs debate on the “Situation in the Middle-East: escalation of violence and mounting humanitarian crisis, particularly in Gaza”, Saskia Kluit (Netherlands, SOC) recalled that PACE has condemned the attacks of Hamas in the strongest words and said that PACE “must call for the...
01/10/2024 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly today expressed its concern about the persecution of human rights defenders in Iran and abroad, in particular in the Council of Europe member States, by the Iranian regime. The resolution, unanimously adopted by PACE on the basis of the report by Max Lucks (Germany, SOC...
01/10/2024 | Women@PACE
Addressing the Women@PACE group on the 1st October – the first day of Pink October – Evgenia Kara-Murza paid tribute to leading female figures among human rights defenders or journalists fighting different battles in different countries, but all for the same values of “peace, freedom and human...
01/10/2024 | Session
PACE expressed today its concern about the phenomenon of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers going missing, “a tragedy largely underestimated as a human rights issue,” believing that policy responses are needed across Europe and the world. It marked its solidarity with the families of the...