Migration and Refugees: Council of Europe Action

The Council of Europe antitorture Committee (CPT) publishes the report on its 2023 visit to Malta, together with the response of the Maltese authorities.   Focus of the report:   ◾ Treatment of persons held in prison ◾ Treatment of persons held in police custody ◾ Treatment of persons held in immigration detention centres   In its report, the CPT noted progress but also persistent concerns since earlier visits in 2015 and 2020.    In the prison system, Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) and the Centre of Residential Restorative Services (CORRs) have seen a shift towards better psychological support and reintegration planning. Most prisoners reported correct treatment by staff and a generally calm environment. However, the CPT did receive a few allegations of staff slapping prisoners, and the occasional rough pushing and kicking of prisoners. In parallel, the conditions and physical state of the prison remain poor.    In police custody, the situation is comparatively more positive than that found in the Committee’s previous visits. Nonetheless, gaps in custody record-keeping, especially during the critical period between arrest and formal detention, pose a risk to detainee rights and undermine transparency. The CPT stresses the need for a comprehensive, continuous custody log from the moment of apprehension right up to release or transfer to detention.   In the immigration detention system, conditions at Safi and Hal Far Initial Reception Centre have improved slightly since the Committee’s previous 2020 visit, at the height of the Covid pandemic. However, the overall regime remains deeply punitive. Further, allegations of staff violence, particularly after an attempted escape in May 2023, were received by the CPT delegation. Concerted action is still required to ensure humane treatment and standards for foreign nationals held in immigration detention.   🔗 Read more about this: https://lnkd.in/dYHEgG3v   📕 Read the report in English: https://lnkd.in/d2BYEJ6p 📄 Read the response: https://lnkd.in/d_6bDzXK   📌 The CPT and Malta: https://lnkd.in/dQvF8Bhm   #PreventingTortureinEurope #Antitorture #Prison #Police #Malta #ImmigrationDetention #CoE_CPT

PACE calls on member states to strengthen cooperation between public and private actors in migration management. From reception to integration, a more local, decentralised and inclusive approach is key to ensuring dignity and cohesion. 📄 Adopted resolution: https://lnkd.in/exDBNWDa 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e8GCnCwr #PACEsummer2025

Hope travels across borders. These stories span continents, but they’re connected by one truth: when given the chance, refugees don’t just survive. They thrive and give back. Swipe through for 9 journeys of courage, community and new beginnings.

I look forward to welcoming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Conseil de l'Europe tomorrow. As strikes continue, we are closing the accountability gap — and bringing the crime of aggression under the rule of law. Europe and the world need the Special Tribunal. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Thank you to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for this candid Q&A. We spoke about the war in #Ukraine, the situation in #Gaza, the role of the European Court of Human Rights — and why a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression matters. 🎥 Watch full video here: https://lnkd.in/ezEBdSXA

On this #WorldRefugeeDay, we highlight the rights and protection of unaccompanied and separated migrant children, among the most vulnerable in Europe. A 2024 Council of Europe report reviews how 22 member states are implementing the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on effective guardianship for children in migration. These children, who cross borders without a parent or caregiver, face heightened risks of exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Effective guardianship systems are an essential safeguard, ensuring children are supported, heard, and protected. While progress has been made, challenges persist: ✔️ Inconsistent legal frameworks ✔️ Delays in guardian appointments ✔️ Gaps in child participation, training & resources ✔️ Limited coordination between authorities   Yet, promising practices, especially those supporting children fleeing the Russian aggression against Ukraine, show what is possible.   The report offers 16 practical recommendations to help states build stronger, rights-based guardianship systems.   📘 Read the full report to learn more: https://go.coe.int/tn2gG #ChildRights #ChildProtection #Guardianship #Migration Migration and Refugees: Council of Europe Action Anne Kayser Dušan Vojnović

🖼️ “This is not merely an exhibition. It is a visual chronicle of human dignity and quiet heroism,” said Gianluca Esposito, Director General for Human Rights and the Rule of Law at the Council of Europe, as he opened the exhibition. “Through Julia’s powerful lens, we are invited to witness the resilience, strength, and unwavering hope of Ukrainian women who were forced to flee their homes in the wake of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine.” 🔖 Full text of the opening remarks by Gianluca Esposito: https://lnkd.in/eXTQRDkM 🔖 More about the exhibition "(UN)CORNERED": https://lnkd.in/dGipW234 Julia Wimmerlin Kateryna Debkaliuk Migration and Refugees: Council of Europe Action Nikolaos Sitaropoulos Dušan Vojnović Olga Kostenko Anete Germane

📸 Exhibition “(UN)CORNERED” opens at the Council of Europe to mark World Refugee Day. Organised by the Council of Europe’s Division on Migration and Refugees and the Permanent Representation of Ukraine, the exhibition by photographer Julia Wimmerlin tells the stories of forcibly displaced Ukrainian women living under temporary protection in Switzerland. Through powerful portraits and symbolic objects, the exhibition captures dignity, resilience, and hope in the face of war. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dQghNEe4 📅 On display in the Agora building until 4 July. Explore the exhibition and stories: https://lnkd.in/dGipW234 #WorldRefugeeDay #HumanRights #Refugees #CouncilOfEurope #Ukraine #Photography #Solidarity Human Rights and the Rule of Law at the Council of Europe , Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe , Commissioner for Human Rights , European Court of Human Rights , Social Rights at the Council of Europe , CEB - Council of Europe Development Bank , UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, IOM - UN Migration , Frontex , European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights European Union Agency for Asylum – EUAA , Gianluca Esposito , Tatiana Termacic, Nikolaos Sitaropoulos , Eva Pastrana Leyla Kayacik , Philippe DE BRUYCKER Tatiana Mychelova Odysseus Academic Network for Legal Studies on Immigration and Asylum in Europe , Dušan Vojnović Children’s Rights at the Council of Europe , Detention and prevention of torture: Council of Europe Action , Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

🔷 CoE Network of Focal Points on Migration: Upholding Human Rights at Borders The Council of Europe’s 11th Meeting of the Network of Focal Points on Migration (NFPM) took place in Strasbourg on 19–20 June, bringing together officials from member states and key international partners. Discussions focused on identifying and protecting vulnerable migrants and refugees in border procedures — with contributions from the UNHCR, Frontex, EUAA, GRETA, CPT, and national authorities from Italy, Romania, and the UK. The meeting also highlighted recent Council of Europe initiatives supporting young refugees, stateless children, and recognition of refugee qualifications. 👉: https://lnkd.in/d9r3sk2U 🤝 Cooperation remains essential to ensure humane, lawful, and effective migration governance. #HumanRights #Migration #Refugees #CouncilOfEurope #BorderManagement Human Rights and the Rule of Law at the Council of Europe , Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe , Commissioner for Human Rights , European Court of Human Rights , Social Rights at the Council of Europe , CEB - Council of Europe Development Bank , UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, IOM - UN Migration , Frontex , European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights European Union Agency for Asylum – EUAA , Gianluca Esposito , Tatiana Termacic, Nikolaos Sitaropoulos , Eva Pastrana Leyla Kayacik , Philippe DE BRUYCKER Tatiana Mychelova Odysseus Academic Network for Legal Studies on Immigration and Asylum in Europe , Dušan Vojnović Children’s Rights at the Council of Europe Detention and prevention of torture: Council of Europe Action: Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

Fake videos. Fake soldiers. Fake riots. Disinformation isn’t just noise — it’s a weapon aimed at democracy itself. Today at the Conseil de l'Europe, young developers, designers, and thinkers from across Europe are joining forces to fight back. This is Europe’s first hackathon on innovating democracy!