The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

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The Council of EuropeCommissioner for Human
Rights

• Role and activities

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Overview of presentation

• 1- Institution
• 2 - Mandate
• 3 - Working methods/Activities

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1 - Institution

• Independent, impartial non-judicial
• Established in 1999
• Elected for a non-renewable term of 6 years

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1 - Institution

• 3 Commissioners so far
• Nils Muižnieks (2012-2018)
• Thomas Hammarberg (2006-2012)
• Alvaro Gil-Robles (2000-2006)

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2 - Mandate

• (a) Promotes respect of HRs on the ground in 47
  MSs (esp. identifying shortcomings in law and
  practice and assisting MSs in following
  applicable standards)
• (b) Promotes awareness of HRs
• (c) Works with NHRSs and for their establishment
• (d) Works with and provides protection to HRDs

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3 - Working methods/Activities
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3 - Working methods/activities Country
monitoring

• Visit
• Around 12 per year
• Followed by reports with recommendations
• Focus on specific HRs issues
• Meetings with authorities, civil society, other
  stakeholders and the press
• Visits to places of HR relevance

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3 - Working methods/activities Thematic work

• Issue papers
• Recommendations
• Opinions
• HRComments
• Thematic visits

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3 - Working methods/activities 3rd party
interventions

• Can take part in proceedings before ECtHR
  (written submissions and hearings) since June
  2010, at own initiative
• Interventions based on country and thematic work.
  Do not include comments on the facts or merits of
  the case.
• Powers used in
• - M.S.S. v. Belgium and Greece
• - The Centre for Legal Resources on behalf of
  Valentin Câmpeanu v. Romania
• - 5 cases v. Azerbaijan (HRDs)

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Contacts

• Office of the Council of Europe
• Commissioner for Human Rights
• Avenue de lEurope
• F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• commissioner_at_coe.int
• www.commissioner.coe.int