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Parties urged to sign the Charter of European Political Parties for a non-racist and inclusive society

20/06/2022 | Session

At a time when racism and intolerance are rife in Europe, political parties are best placed to combat racism, intolerance and hate speech, the Assembly said today. The parliamentarians consider that the Charter of European Political Parties for a Non-Racist Society, opened for signature in 1998...

Luigi Di Maio: ‘Investing in peace and democracy has never been more important than today’

28/04/2022 | Session

“The exclusion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe was made inevitable by the atrocity of the crimes committed in Ukraine,” said Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe...

PACE calls for the setting up of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal to hold to account perpetrators...

28/04/2022 | Session

“Appalled by the ongoing war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine”, and “horrified by reports of atrocities against civilians allegedly committed by Russian troops”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has called on all member and observer States of...

Safeguarding and promoting genuine democracy

28/04/2022 | Session

PACE today expressed its concern about a clear democratic backsliding across the world – including in Europe – which has resulted in a weakening in checks and balances and the role of the opposition, obstacles to freedom of expression, assembly and association, and an erosion of the rule of law...

Georgia monitoring: PACE welcomes ‘continuous and marked progress’, lists remaining shortcomings

28/04/2022 | Session

PACE has welcomed the “continuous and marked progress” made by Georgia in honouring its Council of Europe membership obligations and commitments since 2014, but added that a number of shortcomings and concerns remain. Approving a resolution today, based on a report by Titus Corlatean (Romania...

'Guaranteeing security and peace is a responsibility of the entire international community' says the...

27/04/2022 | Session

“Guaranteeing security and peace is a responsibility of the entire international community and cannot be left to bilateral relations”, observed the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella while addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The Italian...

Houses and apartments confiscated from Russian citizens and state enterprises subject to targeted sanctions...

27/04/2022 | Session

Council of Europe member states should “identify and freeze” as many of the assets as possible of Russian citizens and state enterprises subject to targeted sanctions for their responsibility in the war of aggression launched against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the Parliamentary Assembly...

PACE urges maximum pressure on Russia to cease its aggression and unity in supporting Ukraine

27/04/2022 | Session

Describing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as “an act of unprecedented gravity” with far-reaching consequences worldwide, PACE has made a strong call for unity in supporting Ukraine and maximum pressure on the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression, as well...

Preventing and fighting excessive use of force by law enforcement officers

27/04/2022 | Session

PACE today denounced the excessive use of force in many cases by law enforcement officers in member States, “violating the principles of necessity, proportionality, precaution, and non-discrimination", notably in policing peaceful demonstrations, in handling irregular migrant flows and in...

Strengthening the strategic partnership between the Council of Europe and the EU

26/04/2022 | Session

In the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and its exclusion from the Council of Europe, PACE stressed the importance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the Council of Europe and the EU, “on the basis of their shared values and commitment to promoting peace and...

PACE elects Mykola Gnatovskyy judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ukraine

26/04/2022 | Session

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

Commissioner to PACE: trends undermining human rights protection continued in 2021

26/04/2022 | Session

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović, presenting her 2021 annual report to the Parliamentary Assembly, has said that trends undermining human rights protection have continued in 2021. The topics covered by the report vary from media freedom and journalists’ safety to...