Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, published on Monday 13 March her “Observations” on the fourth Council of Europe Summit, to be held in Reykjavik on 16-17 May.
She calls for a reaffirmation of Member States’ commitment to uphold Council of Europe standards and “strong determination to reverse the current backsliding on human rights”.
The Summit should focus on the need to prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international law and gross human rights abuses during Russia’s war in Ukraine, says the Commissioner.
She also calls for a commitment to better implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
Other demands include the inclusion of a “human rights” dimension in the defence of the environment, “countering the anti-gender backlash” and strengthening economic and social rights.
“In order to better future proof our human rights work, we need to respond rapidly to developments, create an enabling environment for civil society, National Human Rights Structures and human rights defenders and harness the power of youth”, the Commissioner concludes.
Link to the Commissioner’s “Observations”: https://aeur.eu/f/5rf (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)