Presentation
A summary of the activities of the committee
Agenda
All items due for discussion and decision
Reports under preparation
List of reports under preparation in the committee
Documents and declarations
The committee's public documents and declarations
Decisions
Details of decisions taken by the committee at each meeting (synopses)
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Right promotes the rule of law and defends human rights. It is also responsible for a whole variety of activities that make it, de facto, the Assembly's legal adviser.
In January 2022, Damien Cottier (Switzerland, ALDE) was elected as Chairperson of the Committee.
Handbook on "National parliaments as guarantors of human rights in Europe"
A handbook for parliamentarians from all over Europe published in October 2018 by the Assembly sets out ways and means to protect and implement human rights, within a democracy underpinned by the rule of law.
This handbook is intended to equip parliamentarians to fulfil their responsibilities by reviewing institutional structures, working methods and examples of best practices drawn from a number of parliaments in Europe, which enable them to verify most effectively the compatibility of national legislation and practices with European human rights standards.
Members of the committee
Members of the sub-committees
Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir (Iceland, SOC)
General Rapporteur for political prisoners
Emanuelis ZINGERIS (Lithuania, EPP/CD)
General Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Mr Günter SCHIRMER
Head of the Secretariat 6.001+33/3 88.41.2809
M. Guillem CANO PALOMARES
Deputy to the Head of the Secretariat 6.002+33/3 90.21.4941
Mr George STAFFORD
Secretary 6.006+33/3 90.21.5456
Ms Eleanor HOURIGAN
Secretary 6.005+33/3 90.21.6051
Mr Rafal SOKOL
Co-Secretary 6.203+33/3 88.41.2203
Ms Eilean MACKIE
Administrative assistant 6.003+33/3 90.21.5355
Mme Catherine DREYFUS
Assistant 6.004+33/3 88.41.2099
Mme Anne-Marie KLEIN
Support assistant 6.138+33/3 90.21.4450