Protecting peaceful assembly is a democratic obligation. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐰.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

Furthermore, the use of military personnel to police demonstrations may be problematic from a human rights point of view.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

🔹𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧: Policing must take due account of children’s age and vulnerability. Detention must be a measure of last resort, with access to legal assistance.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

🔹𝐍𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Deprivation of liberty must have a lawful basis and never be used to intimidate or deter peaceful protest.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

🔹𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞: Any use of force must be strictly necessary, and all allegations of excess must be promptly investigated.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

Law enforcement must prioritise dialogue and de-escalation. While it is legitimate for police to respond to looting and rioting and to keep people safe, the use of force and deprivation of liberty must be governed by strict standards:👇

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

Violence by some individuals or groups does not justify arbitrary restrictions, blanket bans or the dispersal of an entire assembly. Those engaging in violence must be distinguished from peaceful participants.
from a human rights point of view.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

As protests continue across Europe, with young people and students playing a prominent role, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠.

#FreedomOfAssembly #RighttoProtest #RuleOfLaw #ChildRights

I welcome the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize award to the ICC and its officials. This is a powerful show of solidarity with an essential institution in the fight against impunity and for justice for victims of atrocity crimes. International institutions that uphold the rule of law and protect human dignity must be protected.
#SakharovPrize @europarl_en @coe

Wrapping up my visit to Norway focusing on the human rights of older persons in residential care and issues related to the environment, climate change and human rights. Today I had constructive meetings with the Minister of Climate and Environment and the State Secretaries from the Ministries of Health and Care Services, Local Government and Regional Development, Foreign Affairs, and Justice and Public Security. I also exchanged with members of the Norwegian PACE delegation.

Norway visit, Day #2: Valuable meeting with the NHRI, representatives of the Parliamentary Ombud and the Oslo and Akershus Patient and User Ombud. I had a very informative visit to the Lørenskog Nursing Home. Rounded off the day with a memorable exchange with students and guests at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights.

Norway visit, Day #1: Very informative meetings with the President of the Sami Parliament, civil society on the #HumanRights situation of older persons in residential care and issues related to the environment, climate change and human rights. I was warmly welcomed at the Carpe Diem Dementia Village in Bærum.

At last week's ECRI Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies, I called for action to address hateful and discriminatory narratives, including antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.
Watch my video message
https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/commissioner-calls-for-action-against-hateful-and-discriminatory-narratives-at-ecri-annual-seminar
@coe

I committed to doing what I can to help to rebuild the trust within our societies which is essential for the respect of human rights.

This includes working with the authorities to ensure that young people’s right to protest is respected, including when acts of violence obscure the message of peaceful protesters.
2/2

At my [regular] meeting with the Council of Europe’s Advisory Council on Youth today, my top agenda item was the waves of protest on Europe’s streets in these days.

I particularly wanted to hear their views on bridging the gap between young people’s demands, including on education, inequality, housing or the environment, and public policy responses to meet them.
1/2

Off to Norway for a three-day visit, focusing on the human rights of older people in residential care, as well as issues related to the environment and human rights.

An excellent exchange with Frontex Executive Director and the Consultative Forum on the rights and dignity of refugees and migrants, including in border control, returns and cooperation with non-EU countries.
@Frontex @coe

3️⃣Respect communities and their agency.
4️⃣Invest in women as vectors of change driving solutions.

Delivering change requires more than reports, it demands building trust, mutual learning and accountability to the concerned communities.

The Conference also provided the opportunity to sit down with Maria Telalian, the Director of ODIHR and discuss key human rights challenges in Europe.

#WHDC2026 #HumanRights #minorities #RomaRights #Equality
@coe
2/2

At the OSCE Human Dimension Conference roundtable with the High Commissioner on National Minorities, Christophe Kamp, last week, I focused on the need to learn the lessons from years of engaging directly with Roma and Traveller communities to drive real change:

1️⃣ Acknowledge and name the racism in our societies and institutions instead of treating it as an abstraction.
2️⃣Get out of the office to listen, learn, and partner with communities where they live.
1/2

Just because multilateralism is on its knees does not mean we should give up on it. We risk forgetting where it comes from. It was ‘Never again’ to prevent genocides and international crimes that led to the development of regional and international systems. There is no plan B: if we lose multilateralism, we will have no alternative in terms of decent relationship between states or support for our human rights as individuals.