Commissioner for Human Rights

Europe is no longer in an era of change but a change of era. Presenting my 2025 Annual Report to @PACE_News, I warn that we risk losing our invaluable treasure of human rights. From the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine to migration, inequalities and the impacts of AI, we must act to ensure our rights survive this change of era. We have the toolbox for survival. The challenge lies in deploying it properly. In large part, whether human rights survive this transition intact lies in how we support the people of Ukraine, manage our borders, protect our institutions and civil society, and uphold the rights of marginalised communities, including Roma and Travellers. Read my #AnnualReport2025👇 coe.int/en/web/commiss… #HumanRights #CouncilOfEurope #PACEspring2026 #Ukraine #RomaRights #Migration #AI #Equality #ClimateAction @coe

As we mark World Press Freedom Day, we must face a sobering reality: press freedom is weakening across Europe. The crisis is structural. Beyond the physical dangers faced by journalists on the frontlines in Ukraine, a convergence of threats is putting the bedrock of our democracies under significant strain. The landscape for journalists and media is becoming increasingly challenging as they face legal and political pressure, threats to physical and digital safety and structural erosion due to media ownership concentration, economic pressure, political interference in public broadcasting and the dominance of internet platforms. When journalists are silenced, the public’s right to know is the first casualty. The standards exist, but implementation is too slow. We have the tools; we now need the political will. I encourage member states to: ➡️Investigate all attacks on journalists and end impunity ➡️Protect critical reporting and public service media from undue political and economic pressure ➡️Ensure journalists can work freely and safely ➡️Implement the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and Council of Europe standards, particularly on journalists’ safety and on abusive lawsuits (SLAPPs) #WorldPressFreedomDay #PressFreedom #CouncilOfEurope #SafetyOfJournalists

It is disheartening to see @rightscon 2026 called off. Engaging on human rights in the age of AI is critical, and I was eager to do so in Lusaka next week. My thoughts are with all participants, and I look forward to alternative spaces for necessary dialogue. cc: @accessnow

Exchanging on my 2025 annual report with the @coe Committee of Ministers, I closed with a message of resilience and hope: in a time of hard winds, we must move forward without complacency but with deep appreciation of how well the organisation delivers already on its core business. #HumanRights 👇 coe.int/en/web/commiss…

Honoured to speak today at the side-event on #Roma remembrance organised by Georgios Stamatis, @PACE_News General Rapporteur on Roma and Travellers. Our present is shaped by our past. We must invest in remembering-for healing, justice&ensuring ‘never again’-and in celebrating diversity

Constructive meeting today with Senator Aurora Floridia, Chair of the Parliamentary Network for a Healthy Environment. We discussed the importance of urgent action to advance on protecting our right to a healthy environment and prioritising those most impacted by climate change.

As I presented my Annual Report 2025 to the Parliamentary Assembly, I spoke about the "polycrisis" threatening our foundations. The institutions and human rights law we rely on are not guaranteed to survive into the future. To carry the European Convention system safely forward, we must be extraordinarily vigilant in four key areas: 🔹Judicial independence: reaffirming the independence of the European Court of Human Rights 🔹Universality: defending rights for every human, regardless of who they are 🔹Non-instrumentalisation: preventing the Convention from being tempered with in service of policy goals 🔹Unintended consequences: guarding against future unanticipated erosion of protections Human rights are modernity’s greatest achievement. Together, we must ensure they are carried safely into whatever new era we are entering. #ECHR #HumanRights #RuleOfLaw #CouncilOfEurope #PACESpring2026 @Pace_News @coe coe.int/en/web/commiss…

Great meeting today with the Minister of Equality of Spain, Ana Redondo. From pioneering policies and measures to combat gender-based violence and protecting the rights of LGBTI people, Spain continues to show that progress is possible with bold political will. @IgualdadGob @_anaredondo_

For insight into the stories of resilience of Roma and Traveller communities and the women driving change, I invite you to read my book THE UNHEARD 12 MILLION Read in English 👉go.coe.int/IaNC0 Read in French 👉go.coe.int/0LkIL #RomaWeek2026 #OpreRoma #RomaRights #RomaEU

Standing up for Europe’s Roma and Travellers must remain at the heart of EU policy, planning, and resource allocation. This is not a short-term project, it is an intergenerational responsibility - one that requires political leadership matched by adequate resources. To make a real difference for Europe’s largest ethnic minority, planning and budgeting should adopt an explicit #HumanRights approach, which both demands and delivers: 🔹True participation: especially for Roma and Traveller-led CSOs, Roma women and young people 🔹Local action: ensuring that funding reaches the villages and streets, and that mayors are challenged to fulfil their vital role 🔹Calling out hatred: tackling antigypsyism 🔹Investing in both remembrance and the celebration of diverse cultural identities 🔹Vindicating rights: investing in strategic litigation to ensure rights are enforceable in the courtroom Read my speech at the #EUMFF event today, part of the Roma Week 2026, organised by the European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO Network) in Brussels 👇 coe.int/en/web/commiss… #RomaWeek2026 #OpreRoma #Equality #RomaRights #RomaEU

#Georgia: authorities must uphold democratic freedoms. 🔹Ensure accountability of law enforcement for alleged ill-treatment 🔹Repeal or amend restrictive laws that have a chilling effect on civic space 🔹Sustain attention to the #HumanRights of persons in and displaced from occupied territories Read my full statement👇 coe.int/en/web/commiss…

Valuable discussions with High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina @OHR_BiH Christian Schmidt and EUSR @KajsaOllongren on human rights developments

Pleased to take part in the #ADF2026 panel on the future of the Global Refugee Protection System, as displacement reaches record levels. #RefugeeProtection

Useful first meetings with the UNHCR High Commissioner @BarhamSalih and @ICMPD Director General Susanne Raab to discuss Europe's refugee protection challenges. The protection of refugees must remain a European and global priority.

I am in #Antalya, #Türkiye for the 2026 #AntalyaDiplomacyForum. Looking forward to engaging dialogue with global leaders on today’s most pressing challenges, with a view to ensure that people and their rights remain at the centre of all our efforts. #ADF2026 #humanrights

Last night’s Russian massive attack on #Ukraine injured & killed dozens of civilians, including children. CoE member states must stand united in ensuring accountability. We need broad support for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. See my Memorandum: coe.int/en/web/commiss…