TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly

Synopsis No 2000/129

13 September 2000

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Paris on 7 September 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

-      Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): held an exchange of views with Ms Coutant-Payre, lawyer of Mr Hakkar;

 

-          Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Italy (Rapporteur: Lord Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, held an exchange of views, asked the Rapporteur to draft a motion for a resolution, and expressed the wish to hold an exchange of views with the Italian Minister of Justice and the Permanent Representative of Italy during the September 2000 part-session;

 

-          Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): considered, amended and adopted a draft resolution, a draft recommendation and a draft order, subject to possible modifications which may have to be made to take into account new  developments after the meetings of the “Convention” in charge of drafting the Charter which are scheduled between the adoption of this report and the debate in the Assembly;

 

-          Protocol No 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur;

 

-          Situation of the Muslim minority in Thrace (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Contestabile, Italy, EPP/CD and Mr Solonari, Moldova, SOC): heard a statement by Mr Contestabile on the observations of the Greek parliamentary delegation on the memorandum drawn up by the co-rapporteurs, held an exchange of views, and decided to annex the observations to the rapporteurs' memorandum, which it declassified with a view to transmitting it to the Political Affairs Committee and the Committee on Culture and Education;

 

-          Situation in Bélarus (Rapporteur: Mr Svoboda, Czech Republic, EPP/CD): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on his visit to Bélarus from 31 July to 3 August 2000;

-          European Commission for Democracy through Law: appointed Mr Frunda (Romania, EPP/CD) as its representative at the Venice Commission's meeting on 13-14 October 2000 and was informed of the possibility of meeting the President of the Venice Commission in Rome on 2 November 2000;

 

-          50th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights: was informed about the commemorative ceremony to take place on 28 September 2000 during the Assembly's part-session, and about the modalities of the Assembly's participation at the Ministerial Conference (Rome, 3-4 November 2000);

 

-          Appointment of rapporteurs:

i.                 Transfer of sentenced persons: Mr Enright (Ireland, EPP/CD)

ii.               Elimination of religious discrimination against Jehovah's Witnesses: Mrs Aguiar (Portugal, EPP/CD)

iii.             Campaign against trafficking in women (for opinion): Mrs Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD)

iv.             Campaign against the trafficking of children (for opinion): Mrs Nabholz-Haidegger (Switzerland, LDR)

v.               Protection of the human genome by the Council of Europe (for opinion): Mr Asciak (Malta, EPP/CD)

 

-          Conflict in the Chechen Republic – recent developments (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): heard a statement by Mr N. Kovalev (Russia, SOC)

-        Next meetings:

Plenary Committee:

       .  Strasbourg, during the Assembly's September 2000 part-session

       .  Rome, 2-4 November 2000

       Sub-Committee on Human Rights:

       .  Strasbourg, during the September 2000 part-session

 

 Allard A. Plate, Tanja Kleinsorge, David Cupina