The treatment of Bulgarian medical staff in Libya on the agenda
PACE Autumn session: inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, monitoring of Ukraine, forced marriages

The honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine and a debate on forced marriages and child marriages are among items provisionally scheduled for debate at the Assembly’s autumn session (3-7 October 2005).

Invited speakers include Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, who will speak on the same day as debates on women and religion and on education and religion.

Other reports on the draft order of business include the treatment of Bulgarian medical staff in Libya and language problems in access to public health care in the Brussels-Capital region. The Assembly itself will decide its own final order of business only on the first day of the session.  (More)


 

'The Convention is a necessity'
Warning against undermining the judicial independence of the European Court

Assembly President  René van der Linden expressed his concern at recent statements by the UK Home Secretary, Charles Clarke. Mr Clarke, speaking of the possibility of the European Court of Human Rights finding UK anti-terrorism legislation to be in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, had appeared to suggest that such a judgment could lead to a reconsideration of whether or not the UK should remain party to the Convention, since it would contradict the 'consensus' on how rights should be defended.   (More)

Disappearance of new-born babies in Ukraine
PACE rapporteur calls for an immediate re-opening of judicial investigations

PACE rapporteur Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC), who visited Ukraine from 29 August to 1 September, expressed her extreme concern about the disappearance of new-born babies in the country and allegations of trafficking of babies for adoption and of foetuses for scientific purposes. She called on the office of the principal state prosecutor to shed light on those cases already brought to his attention, to open investigations into any other suspicious incidents and to bring those responsible to justice.  (More)

Call to continue the struggle for democracy
Statement on the recent human rights violations in Belarus

PACE's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights condemned the systematic and worsening campaign of intimidation and persecution of independent journalists and civil society activists in the Republic of Belarus. The Committee denounced the recent crackdown on the Union of Belarusian Poles and Polish-language media outlets.  (More)

CALENDAR     19-20 September – Budapest (Hungary) Colloquy on parliamentary technology assessment for central and eastern Europe Organised by PACE’s Sub-committee on Science and Ethics, this colloquy looks at how elected representatives in central and eastern Europe can be better informed on developments in science and technology to help them prepare legislation. Earlier, the sub-committee discusses the precautionary principle and student disaffection for scientific studies. Information document and programme.   20-24 September – Moscow (Russia) PACE rapporteur on fair trial issues in espionage cases visits Moscow Christos Pourgourides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), who is preparing a report on Fair trial issues in criminal cases concerning espionage or divulging state secrets, will meet representatives of the FSB, the Prosecutor General’s office, the Pardons Commission and parliamentarians as well as the families and lawyers of alleged spies in prison or facing charges and leading members of the Public Committee for the Protection of Scientists, including former journalist Grigory Pasko. The rapporteur has also requested to meet imprisoned researcher Igor Sutyagin.   21-24 September – Bratislava and Košice (Slovak Republic) Post-monitoring dialogue with the Slovak Republic The Vice-Chair of PACE’s Monitoring Committee Hanne Severinsen (Denmark, ALDE) will discuss issues still outstanding when the monitoring procedure for the Slovak Republic was closed in 1999. She is due to meet the Vice-Prime Minister responsible for European integration and the Foreign, Education, Interior and Regional Development Ministers, as well as senior judges and broadcasting regulators. In Košice, she will meet members of the Roma community and Hungarian minority.   23-24 September – Moscow (Russia) Parliamentary hearing on HIV/AIDS in Russia Participants in the hearing, organised by PACE’s Sub-committee on Health in collaboration with the Russian State Duma’s working group on HIV/AIDS, include the Chair of the State Duma Committee on Healthcare, Russia’s Ombudsman and the head of Russia’s Federal AIDS Centre. Prior to the hearing, from 21 to 22 September, Chris McCafferty (United Kingdom, SOC), who is preparing a report on HIV/AIDS in Europe, meets people living with the condition in Moscow and NGOs working in HIV/AIDS prevention and care in the city.