Assembly rapporteur delighted that ''cluster munitions are now illegal''
[19/02/2010 10:30:00] Ahead of the entry into force on August 1 of the Convention on cluster munitions, Johannes Pflug (Germany), rapporteur on the ban on cluster munitions, made the following statement: ''Following the recent ratification of the Convention by Moldova, this legal instrument can now enter into force. We can all be proud of the successful outcome of this long process led by the international community, including the Assembly, which last May adopted Resolution 1668.''
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Assembly rapporteur to visit Kosovo
[19/02/2010 16:00:00]
In the framework of his forthcoming report on the situation in Kosovo, Björn von Sydow, the Assembly rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee, will conduct for the second year, a fact-finding visit to Kosovo from 21 to 25 February.
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Visit to Albania by Mevlüt Cavusoglu, the leaders of the political groups and the monitoring co-rapporteurs
[18/02/2010 11:30:00] The Assembly President, and the leaders of the five political groups, together with the monitoring co-rapporteurs for Albania will visit Tirana on 22 and 23 February, when they will meet the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, leaders of political parties and representatives of the international community.
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Noise and light pollution: a serious threat to man and the environment, says Parliamentary rapporteur(more ...)
Secretary General
Thorbjørn Jagland: ''EU accession to Human Rights' Convention is historic development''
[16/02/2010 09:30:00] ''The accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights is a new, historic change in the co-operation on democratic security and stability in Europe'', said Thorbjørn Jagland today in his key-note speech, at the policy briefing “Strengthening human rights across Europe'', in the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels.
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Anti-torture Committee visits Georgia
[18/02/2010 10:00:00] A delegation of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out an 11-day visit to Georgia. The visit, which began on 5 February 2010, was the CPT’s fourth periodic visit to Georgia.
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IN DEPTH
European prison reform
[01/12/2009 17:30:00] A driving force for prison reform since the 1960s, the Council of Europe is working to improve the treatment of those imprisoned or deprived of their liberty. Its committees develop standards on the basis of relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, criteria determined by the European Committee for the prevention of torture (CPT), and recommendations made by the Commissioner for Human Rights.
Photo: Gamma(more ...)
Forthcoming entry into force of Protocol No. 14
Statement by Micheline Calmy-Rey
[18/02/2010 15:00:00] The Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers welcomes the deposit, by the Russian Federation, of its instrument of ratification of Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, shortly before the beginning of the ministerial conference in Interlaken. Russia is thus joining the other 46 member states which have already ratified the Protocol, thereby enabling the latter to come into force on 1 June next.
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Statement by Thorbjørn Jagland
[18/02/2010 15:00:00] ''Today Russia ratified Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights and thereby confirmed its commitment to Europe. The Protocol, already ratified by the other 46 member countries of our Organisation, will come into force on 1 June'', said the Secretary General on 18 February. ''This final ratification is the result of a dialogue conducted with the highest Russian authorities and signals the start of a genuine reform of the Court'', he continued.
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Statement by Mevlüt Cavusoglu
[18/02/2010 15:00:00] The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, on 18 February warmly welcomed Russia’s ratification of Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights. ''This ratification will further enhance the protection of the fundamental rights of all individuals within the jurisdiction of the 47 Council of Europe member states,'' he said.
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Seminar on ''Perspectives for co-operation between Morocco and the Council of Europe''
[19/02/2010 14:30:00] The main objective of this Seminar, to take place in Rabat on 22-23 February, is to consider the co-operation between Morocco and the Council of Europe and to explore the possibilities of a substantial reinforcement of this co-operation. Morocco joined the Council of Europe’s North-South Centre on 1 July 2009.
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Workshop on strengthening and protecting women’s and children’s rights in Ukraine
[19/02/2010 11:30:00]
In order to support the reform of the legal framework, policy and practice in Ukraine regarding the prevention of and the fight against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, Ukrainian and international experts will meet in Lviv from 24 to 25 February, to discuss the aspects relating to the phases of investigation and prosecution of acts involving sexual offences against children.
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Human Rights Commissioner
Commissioner Hammarberg continues dialogue with Lithuanian authorities
[17/02/2010 09:00:00] Thomas Hammarberg published on 17 February letters sent to the Prime Minister of Lithuania and to the Speaker of the Seimas (Parliament), on discrimination issues, minority rights and steps taken to investigate whether the CIA detained terrorist suspects on Lithuanian territory.
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Kosovo: Call for stop of forced returns and evacuation of Roma from lead-contaminated camps(more ...)
Ratification of the Granada Convention by Azerbaijan
[17/02/2010 14:30:00] On 15 February 2010, Azerbaijan ratified the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada Convention). This Convention will enter into force in the country on the 1st of June 2010. So far, 40 member states of the Council of Europe ratified the Granada Convention.
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SEE ALSO
Fight against corruption: report on Lithuania(more ...)