In an opinion that has been adopted on Friday, the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts, the Venice Commission, conclude that Spain should improve certain amendments to the Organic Law on its Constitutional Court, which attribute to the Court the task to execute its own judgments, although it also notes that these amendments do not contradict European standards. The new powers attributed to the Court include the suspension of officials refusing to implement judgments. More...
Venice Commission: Proposed constitutional amendments in Turkey would be a “dangerous step backwards” for democracy
The Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts, the Venice Commission, warn against a one-person regime in Turkey in a definitive, as-adopted, opinion on proposed constitutional amendments to be put to a referendum next month. More...
Parliamentary Assembly Monitoring Committee calls for monitoring procedure in respect of Turkey to be re-opened
The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has today called for the monitoring procedure in respect of Turkey to be re-opened in order to strengthen its co-operation with the Turkish authorities and all forces in the country and thus ensure respect for fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and democracy. More...
Human Rights Commissioner concerned about Hungary’s new law allowing automatic detention of asylum seekers
As reported, the adopted Bill would allow the automatic detention of all asylum seekers, including families with children and unaccompanied minors from the age of 14, in shipping containers surrounded by high razor wire fence at the border for extended periods of time. More...
Portugal: progress in participation of Roma in local decision-making should be sustained
Concrete measures to address the discrimination Roma face in Portugal and ways to foster the participation of Roma in society were at the centre of a two day visit the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks made to Lisbon and Torres Vedras on 6-7 March. More...
Fighting violence against women is not about “gender ideology” or breaking families
In a statement published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) expresses concern about misconceptions surrounding the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. More...
Italy should improve its asylum reception-capacity, prevent human trafficking and strengthen its child-protection system
The Special Representative also stressed the need to strengthen the protection of refugee and migrant children; called upon the Italian authorities and the EU to expedite the examination of asylum claims and of relocation and family-reunification requests; and pointed to the risk that weaknesses in the system for voluntary and forced removals might be encouraging the arrival of more irregular economic migrants. More...
New report on protecting refugee children from sexual abuse
A new report focusing on the protection of children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and abuse was presented today. Non-comprehensive data collection, inadequate reception conditions, problems with age verification and with identification of victims are among the key challenges identified. More...