Council of Europe Chief Alain Berset on Human Rights Backsliding and Ukraine Tribunal

Challenges to Human Rights and Rule of Law

• 🎯 The Council of Europe, Europe's oldest and largest intergovernmental body, faces challenges to its core values of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law from its own member states.
• ⚠️ Specific issues include crackdowns on demonstrators in Turkey, detention of the mayor of Istanbul, and clampdowns on pro-EU protesters in Georgia.
• 💡 Secretary General Alain Berset emphasizes the need to recall fundamental principles like freedom of assembly and speech, and ensure the good functioning of democracies.

Tools for Upholding Values

• 🇪🇺 The European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights are central to the Council of Europe's activities, providing a legal framework and enforcement mechanism.
• 🤝 While dialogue with member states is crucial, Berset acknowledges that decisions are not always easy to execute, but a high level of execution is maintained through ongoing dialogue.

Accountability for Aggression Against Ukraine

• ⚖️ The Council of Europe is ready to swiftly establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, focusing on accountability and preventing impunity.
• 🌍 The plan involves a register of damages, a claims commission, and a tribunal to address the crime of aggression, contingent on the will and support of member states.

Adapting Democracy to New Challenges

• 📱 Berset highlights the need for democracies to adapt to a new world shaped by social media, societal fragmentation, polarization, and artificial intelligence.
• 🧠 Building democratic resilience involves education and regulation to counter foreign interference and disinformation that can undermine the will of the people.
• 📉 The impression that democracy isn't delivering due to sequential crises (financial, inequality, populism, wars, COVID, climate) can lead to dangerous sentiments, such as a preference for strong leaders over democratic processes.

Addressing Populism and Migrant Rights

• 🏛️ Berset views the use of courts to exclude political movements, termed 'lawfare,' as extremely dangerous for democracies, stressing that political activity does not exempt individuals from respecting the law.
• 🤝 The Council of Europe actively engages in dialogue with member states on migrant rights, emphasizing the need to respect human rights and dignity for vulnerable populations, even under pressure.

Combating Violence Against Women

• 🚺 Berset notes a "strange backsliding" on issues related to violence against women and girls, despite the importance of conventions like the Istanbul Convention.
• 📈 He acknowledges that progress is not linear and that the Council of Europe must address these backward steps to promote positive evolution.