Council of Europe

The European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2028, excluding newly arrived men of fighting age due to Ukraine's conscription rules. The scheme, which allows 4 million people to live and work in EU countries, aims to balance protection needs with Ukraine's defense requirements. The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner warned against blanket rejections of conscription-age men, advocating for individual case reviews.

The Council of Europe has urged Belgium to address prison overcrowding, with prisons operating at over 120% capacity and 710 detainees sleeping on mattresses. A recent report linked rising prisoner numbers to stricter enforcement of short sentences, prompting calls to reduce pretrial detention and avoid building new prisons.

The European Union and 36 countries adopted the Enlarged Partial Agreement to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (STCA) following Russia’s bombardments of Kyiv. The tribunal is progressing through operational phases, including a 'skeleton phase' in The Hague, with the Netherlands leading security and budget discussions.

The UK and 45 other European countries have signed an agreement to send unwanted asylum seekers to third country hubs, sparking criticism from human rights organisations. The agreement was made by the 46 members of the Council of Europe. This move aims to control borders and manage asylum seeker flows.

An analysis found that nearly half of the judges at the European Court of Human Rights were not judges in their home countries before being promoted. This has raised concerns about the court's composition and potential biases. The findings highlight a lack of prior judicial experience among some of the court's members.

The UK government is accused of weakening legal protections for torture victims seeking asylum, as ministers from 46 countries plan to change the interpretation of rights laws to make it easier to deport refused asylum seekers and foreign criminals. This move is expected to be agreed upon by Yvette Cooper, the UK's Foreign Secretary, with other Council of Europe members. The change aims to facilitate the deportation process.

European ministers will discuss sending rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs at a meeting in Moldova on Friday. The Council of Europe will recognize countries' right to control borders. Thousands of rejected asylum seekers may be sent to third-country hubs.

European observers reported instances of voters in England being turned away from polling stations due to confusion over photo ID requirements. The issue is not considered widespread. The Council of Europe delegation will issue a report on the local elections in England, as well as the Scottish and Welsh government elections.