Nyt fra E u r o p a r å d e t Opdatering april og kalender maj Pressemeddelelse DK 6/05,4.   maj 2005 Council of Europe Justice Ministers adopt five new resolutions in Helsinki Helsinki, 08.04.2005 - Justice ministers from the 46 Council of Europe member states today finalised two days of work by adopting five resolutions on debt problems, restorative justice, combating terrorism, judicial co-operation and the conditions of people detained in prison. Meeting under the chairmanship of Finnish Justice minister Johannes Koskinen, some 35 ministers from all over Europe stressed the importance of promoting policies based on the social mission of the justice system. They made proposals concerning restorative justice, especially to meet the needs of victims and reintegrate delinquents into society. The ministers also expressed their concern at the growing problems of debt in a credit society, that often results in social exclusion. Concerning the fight against terrorism, the ministers welcomed the progress made by the Council of Europe in the drafting of two treaties aimed at preventing it, and also at removing its sources of finance. They called on the Committee of Ministers to adopt these two texts as soon as possible in order to allow, as far as possible, their opening for signature at the Summit of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government in Warsaw on 16 and 17 May.* The ministers also agreed on the need to update as soon as possible the European Prison Rules and to consider the question of drafting a European prison charter. Finally, the ministers invited the Council of Europe to use the appropriate means to improve judicial co-operation, in particular by a possible improvement in existing treaties and in their implementation. * Konventionerne blev vedtaget af Ministerkomitéen den 3. maj  og vil blive fremlagt til underskrivelse på topmødet. Council of Europe adopts two key texts in the fight against terrorism Strasbourg 20.04.2005 - The Committee of Ministers has today adopted two key texts in the fight against terrorism: one covering the protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice, the second on special investigation techniques for serious crimes including terrorism. These two themes are amongst Council of Europe priority areas in its action against terrorism. Witnesses and collaborators of justice can be intimidated and dissuaded from giving evidence freely and openly in investigations into serious crimes including terrorism. The first of the recommendations gives them protection against pressure and guarantees their security. The closed nature of criminal and terrorist groups strongly reduces the chances of success of traditional investigation techniques. The second recommendation aims to promote the effective use of special investigation techniques by the competent authorities in the framework of criminal investigations into serious crimes, including terrorist acts, whilst strictly respecting individual rights and freedoms.

2 Europarådets Parlamentariske Forsamlings forårs  -session, 25.-29. april Ulovlig tilbageholdelse på  Guantanamo - basen Strasbourg, 26.4.2005 - USA’s tilbageholdelse af formodede Al Qaede medlemmer på Guantanamo -basen på Cuba er ulovlig og strider imod retstatsprincippet. Det fastslog Europarådets parlamentarikere tirsdag på grundlag af en rapport af det britiske labourmedlem, Kevin McNamara. Den vedtagne resolution understreger, at de tilbageholdte på Guantanamo -basen på intet tidspunkt har befundet sig i et juridisk tomrum. De har hele tiden været omfattet af de folkeretlige regler for beskyttelse af menneskerettigheder. Forsamlingen opfordrer derfor den amerikanske regering til straks at ophøre med mishandlingen af de tilbageholdte og at tillade, at de får deres tilbageholdelse vurderet ved en domstol. Hvis tilbageholdelsen  er ulovlig, må de pågældende straks løslades. De, som kan anklages for kriminelle handlinger, skal derefter hurtigst muligt retsforfølges ved en kompetent, uafhængig og upartisk domstol. De europæiske parlamentarikere udelukker dog, at nogen af de tilbageholdte kan idømmes dødsstraf. Den vedtagne resolution fik bred opbakning fra alle politiske grupper. Alle stemte for på nær 5 medlemmer, der undlod at stemme. Forsamlingen ønsker, at vedtagelsen sendes til den amerikanske regering via Europarådets ministerkomite med en påmindelse om, at USA som observatørstat i Europarådet er forpligtet til at respektere menneskerettighederne og retsstatsprincippet. Forsamlingen forventer et svar fra Ministerkomiteen om et halvt år.   PACE opposed to nuclear weapons for Iran [26/04/05] Iran as a nuclear-weapons state would “substantially increase the risk of destabilisation in the Middle East”, said PACE in a resolution adopted today. Iran, which borders three Council of Europe member states, should open all its nuclear sites to inspection to reassure the international community and suspend enrichment and reprocessing in return for economic incentives, the parliamentarians said. PACE also gave its backing to a “nuclear-free-zone” in the Middle East and pledged to help promote democracy and human rights in the country.   Rapport om dødshjælp afvist for tredje gang Strasbourg, 27.4.2005 - En rapport af den schweiziske parlamentariker, Dich Marty, om støtte til døende patienter blev onsdag afvist af et flertal i Europarå dets parlamentariske forsamling. To gange tidligere har rapporten været sat på  dagsordenen, men ved disse lejligheder blev den sendt tilbage til socialudvalget uden afstemning på  grund af dens positive holdning til aktiv dødshjælp som praktiseret i Holland og Belgien. Selvom Dick Marty denne gang havde gjort alt for at skabe et kompromis om en resolution ved helt at undgå at anbefale aktiv dødshjælp og i stedet blot udtrykke ønske om, at medlemsstaterne starter en debat om problemerne i forbindelse med døende patienter, blev de tidligere fronter trukket op igen under debatten. Det lykkedes de især katolske modstandere af rapporten at få  vedtaget en lang række ændringsforslag, som ændrede resolutionsudkastet til ukendelighed. Kun 26 medlemmer kunne derfor stemme for den amputerede tekst, mens 128 – herunder Dich Marty - stemte imod. 5 undlod at stemme. På  et efterfølgende pressemøde sagde Dick Marty, at forløbet var en klar demonstration af, at der ikke er nogen som helst vilje til at se på situationen, som den er. Hver dag finder der aktiv dødshjælp sted i det skjulte, og det er derfor skammeligt, at flertallet af medlemmerne end ikke tør starte en debat om problemerne, mente den liberale schweiziske politiker.         PACE denounces journalists' kidnapping [28/04/05] Denouncing the murder or kidnapping of journalists in conflict zones as “an act of aggression against freedom of expression and information”, PACE today demanded the immediate release of French journalist  Florence  Aubenas  and  her  assistant  Hussein  Hanoun  al-Saadi,  as  well  as  three  Romanian journalists held in Iraq, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci, Marie-Jeanne Ion and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian. Adopting a  resolution  following  an  urgent  debate  in  Strasbourg,  PACE  also  proposed  that  journalists  working  in conflict areas declare publicly in advance that no  financial payments or political concessions should be made to kidnappers if they are abducted. 

3 Referendums: towards good practices in Europe [29/04/05]  referendums can be a means to reinforce the democratic legitimacy of political decisions. In fact,  the  national  referendums  organised  in   the  context  of  the  ratification  of  the  European  Union Constitutional Treaty may be the greatest European popular vote of all times. The Assembly today called on European governments to codifying rules on the holding of referendums and promote models of good practice, to ensure that referendums are  used as  a supplement to representative democracy and avoid any manipulation. Vedtagelser under forårs -sessionen i Den Parlamentariske Forsamling The rights of children in institutions: follow-up to Recommendation 1501 (2003) of the Parliamentary Assembly Vedtagelse: REC 1698.Rapport: doc. 10452 Lawfulness of detentions by the United States in Guantanamo Bay Vedtagelser: RES 1433 og REC 1699.Rapport: doc. 10497 Europe’s growing energy vulnerability Vedtagelse: RES 1434.Rapport: doc. 10458 Energy systems and the environment Vedtgaelse: RES 1435.Rapport: doc. 10486 Iran’s nuclear programme: need for international response Vedtagelse: RES 1436.Rapport: doc. 10496 Asssistence to patients at end of life Vedtagelse: Ingen (resolutionsudkastet blev forkastet). Rapport: doc. 10455 Discrimination against women in the workforce and the workplace Vedtagelse: REC 1700.Rapport: doc. 10484 Discrimination against women and girls in sport Vedtagelse: REC 1701.R  apport: doc. 10483 Migration and integration: a challenge and an opportunity for Europe Vedtagelse: RES 1437.Rapport: doc. 10453 Freedom of the press and the working conditions of journalists in conflict zones (hastedebat) Vedtagelser: RES 1438 og REC 1702 .Rapport: doc. 10521 The European Constitutional Treaty (aktualitetsdebat – ingen vedtagelse, ingen rapport) Protection and assistance for seperated children seeking asylum Vedtagelse: REC 1703.Rapport: doc. 10477 Referendums: towards good practices in Europe Vedtagelse: REC 1704.Rapport: doc. 10498 Sea pollution Vedtagelse: RES 1439.Rapport: doc. 10485

4 Vedtagelser, rapporter og de officielle referater af debatterne kan ses på: assembly.coe.int Møder i maj 2005 (hvor intet andet er nævnt, holdes mødet i Strasbourg) 2.-3. Konference: Evaluating European judicial systems (Haag) 3. -4. Ministerkomitéen 4.-6. Seminar for undervisningsministre: Teaching remembrance through cultural heritage (Krakow) 5. Observation af lokalvalg i de palæstinensiske områder  - 2. valgomgang 11. Ministerkomiteen 12. Menneskerettighedsdomstolen: afsigelse af dom i sagen Öcalan mod Tyrkiet 15.-16 . Ungdoms-"topmøde" (Warszawa) 16.-17 . Topmøde mellem stats- og regeringscheferne (Warszawa)* 25. Ministerkomiteen 27. Møde i Den Parlamentariske Forsamlings stående komité (Lissabon) 31.-2.juni Session: Kongressen af lokale og regionale myndigheder * Council of Europe Warsaw Summit – Preliminary programme Strasbourg, 25.04.2005 – The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states will take place in Warsaw on 16 and 17 May. The proceedings will be broadcast live using new communication technologies (live transmission in the Warsaw Press Centre as well as on the Council of Europe special website (http://www.coe.int/summit) and on the Summit website (www.warsawsummit.pl). The texts of the speeches will be distributed to the press on the spot (with embargo and the usual “check against delivery” rule). They will be made available also to the public immediately after the speakers’ statements on both the websites mentioned. To give journalists not present in Warsaw the possibility to follow the event, the Press Room of the Council of Europe (2nd floor) will be open on 16 and 17 May. There will be a live transmission of the Summit (please note: access can be only be given via entrance 2 (pc west) to journalists with permanent accreditation to the Council of Europe, ie on presentation of a badge with visual identity (photo). Journalists without permanent accreditation with the Council of Europe who wish to follow the Summit in the Strasbourg Press Room should apply by 3 May to [email protected] (telephone 00 33 (0) 388 41 3027). The debates will focus on three main themes: - European unity, European values (Monday 16 May, morning) - Challenges for European society (Monday 16 May, afternoon) - European architecture (Tuesday 17 May, morning). A Declaration and an Action Plan for the Council of Europe should be adopted after the debates, on Tuesday, 17 May (around noon). At the end of the Summit, Portugal will take over the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Poland. ______________________________________________  ___________ ”Nyt fra Europarådet” udgives 11 gange om året af Europarådets pressekorrespondent i de nordiske lande Bremerholm 6, DK-1069 København K, Tlf. +45 33 14 15 84, Fax +45 33 15 54 84, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: www.coe.int

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