Strasbourg hosts European anti-terror summit

The conference will focus on the use of special investigation techniques in the fight against terrorism, discussing the application of modern investigation methods such as the interception of telephone and Internet communication, electronic surveillance and undercover operations.

Digital clamp down brings sombre tone to World Press Freedom Day

In his podcast message, Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, says: “Bloggers, reporting citizens and others have joined traditional journalists in the ranks of those who are at risk of retaliation by state authorities or interest groups.”

New report on Europe’s prison crisis

The 2011 Council of Europe Penal Statistics (SPACE I) survey published today, shows that in September 2011, there were 1,825,356 inmates held in penal institutions across Europe, compared to 1,861,246 in 2010.The average European prison population rate grew from 149 to 154 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants during 2011.

Schindler miffed by UK ex-pat voting rights law

The case concerns Harry Shindler’s complaint that he is no longer entitled to vote in parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom due to a 15-year time-limit under primary legislation after which British citizens residing overseas are not permitted to vote.

Grand chamber hearing for Finnish transexual’s human rights protest

The case concerns a male-to-female transsexual’s complaint that full official recognition of her new gender was conditional on her marriage to a woman being turned into a civil partnership.