30/05/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 29 May, the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) appointed three members of the independent external investigation body to look into allegations of corruption within PACE: Sir Nicolas Bratza (United Kingdom), former judge and former president of the European Court of Human Rights; Jean-Louis Bruguière (France), former judge and expert on anti-terrorism issues; and Elisabet Fura (Sweden), former judge at the European Court of Human Rights and former chief parliamentary Ombudsman of Sweden. The investigation body's mandate was agreed at the end of April (see EUROPE 11775). PACE will vote on these appointments at its plenary session at the end of June. The purpose of the investigation body is to look into the allegations of corruption made against certain members or former members of PACE who were reportedly bribed by Azerbaijan to hush up a report on the fate of political prisoners. (VL)