Latest news with #CommitteeofMinisters
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council of Europe backs special tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine
The Council of Europe on May 14 approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian lawmaker Maria Mezentseva reported. The decision marks a milestone in international efforts to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials accountable for launching the full-scale war against Ukraine. "The decision was made in Luxembourg as part of the annual meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe," Mezentseva, who chairs Ukraine's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), wrote on Telegram. European foreign ministers gave political approval to the tribunal, which will operate under the auspices of the Council of Europe, during a meeting in Lviv on May 9. President Volodymyr Zelensky has long advocated for the tribunal to ensure that Putin and other senior Russian officials face justice for launching the invasion three years ago. Ukrainian prosecutors have documented thousands of war crimes committed by Russian forces, including attacks on civilians, cultural and medical sites, and acts of torture and deportation. While war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide can be prosecuted against individuals at any level, the crime of aggression applies exclusively to state leaders responsible for planning and waging a war. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian official overseeing the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Read also: Will Putin meet Zelensky? As Ukraine, Russia peace talks loom, all eyes are on Kremlin's next move We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Euronews
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
New treaty could be a ‘game-changer' for environmental crime in Europe
The Council of Europe has just adopted an international treaty which will help member countries to tackle serious environmental crime. This 46-member international organisation upholds human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. It adopted the Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law at the Committee of Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Wednesday, 14 May, alongside other key environmental objectives. But legal experts say the Committee missed the chance to legally protect the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all in Europe. This legally binding international treaty provides a robust legal framework with which countries can tackle serious environmental crimes that have, at times, gone unpunished or under-prosecuted. Even those that occur across borders. Developed over two years by experts and stakeholders from the Council's 46 member states, with contributions from the EU, UN, INTERPOL and civil society groups, it defines and criminalises a wide array of environment-related offences. States will now be able to prosecute intentional acts that result in environmental disasters that are akin to ecocide. 'This Convention is a game-changer for environmental protection,' Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset says. 'It tackles today's urgent ecological threats head-on and taps into the strength of criminal justice to defend the planet. The Convention is one of the pillars of our new Strategy on the Environment. Together, they mark a bold step forward, linking environmental action with human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.' Alongside the treaty to protect the environment through criminal law, the Council of Europe also adopted a new long-term environmental strategy. It includes five key objectives: To integrate human rights into environmental policies and vice versa. To strengthen democratic governance in environmental matters. To support and protect environmental human rights defenders, environmental defenders and whistleblowers. To prevent and prosecute environment-related crimes. To protect wildlife, ecosystems, habitats and landscapes. But environmental law experts say the Council missed a key opportunity to start legally protecting the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all in Europe. At a time when Europeans are increasingly affected by the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, they say, states refused to act upon the call by parliamentarians, academics, and civil society by taking decisive action to legally protect the right to a healthy environment. 'It's outrageous that in 2025, Europe still hasn't legally recognised the right to a healthy environment as a basic human right,' says Sebastien Duyck, senior attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Duyck says that throughout the ministerial negotiations, Switzerland and Norway led the opposition against recognising the right to a healthy environment, despite mounting evidence of the devastating impact of environmental harms. 'Europe should be leading - not lagging - when it comes to human rights,' he adds. 'But the tide is turning. Thankfully, following the lead of France, Slovenia, and Portugal, some governments are hearing the call from citizens and experts to step up and ensure that Europe is no longer the only continent whose regional human rights system does not legally recognise the right to a healthy environment as a basic human right.' Duyck adds that the Council of Europe must begin negotiations for a protocol to protect this right under the European Convention on Human Rights without delay. 'Environmental destruction has victims - real people experiencing real harms - and until their rights are protected and justice is delivered, civil society will not back down.'
Business Insider
11-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Nigeria engages Ghana over $75m gas debt, promotes Atlantic pipeline partnership
Nigeria and Ghana, two West African nations, have held talks on the sidelines of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Committee of Ministers meeting in Accra to resolve a pending $75 million debt dispute. Nigeria and Ghana discussed resolving a $75 million gas debt dispute during the WAGP meeting. The Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum met with President Mahama to discuss engagement with relevant agencies. Both nations reiterated their commitment to collaboration in the gas sector and to fulfilling financial obligations. Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekpo Ekperipe, stated that he discussed the outstanding $75m gas debt with Ghana's President, John Dramani Mahama, during the meeting. The minister emphasized the need to engage relevant agencies in Ghana to settle the debt owed to Nigeria for gas supplied under the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) agreement. Ghana's outstanding debt currently stands at $75 million for gas supplied several months ago, with uncleared documentation hindering payment. Ekpo stressed the urgency of resolving the issue to safeguard energy cooperation and regional harmony, as outlined in the Treaty. Ghana's gas deal with Nigeria Nigeria supplies gas to Ghana through the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), a 678-kilometer regional infrastructure project designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria's Niger Delta to Benin, Togo, and Ghana. The WAGP is operated by the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), a consortium that includes Chevron, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell, and national gas companies from Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Gas is primarily used by power plants in Ghana to generate electricity. Over the years, Ghana has occasionally fallen into arrears due to financial challenges in its energy sector, prompting Nigeria to demand payment to avoid supply disruptions. The recent $75 million arrears dispute is part of this ongoing supply and payment relationship. Nigeria seeks support for Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project The Nigerian Petroleum Minister also solicited Ghana's support for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, a strategic project aimed at deepening regional ties in areas of energy security and economic cooperation. " We are committed to sustaining continued collaboration with Ghana in the gas sector, ' he stated, reaffirming Nigeria's readiness to resolve all outstanding matters related to gas supply under the WAGP agreement. President Mahama, in his response, expressed appreciation for the minister's comments and shared concerns, reiterating Ghana's commitment to fulfilling its financial obligations to the West African Gas Pipeline project and promoting regional stability and prosperity. Notably, in February, the Ghanaian government announced plans to negotiate with Nigeria's N-Gas Limited to settle a $37.5 million payment, part of the outstanding debt for gas supplied to Ghana's power plants. However, the Managing Director of N-Gas has not confirmed or denied whether the payment was made.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
European diplomats issue joint statement in Lviv on Special Tribunal for Russian aggression
European foreign ministers meeting in Lviv on 9 May have issued a joint statement welcoming the completion of technical work on draft legal instruments required to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine within the Council of Europe. Source: the joint statement, seen by European Pravda Details: The ministers reaffirmed the critical importance of the Special Tribunal in ensuring justice by holding to account those most responsible for this grave international crime committed against Ukraine. They stressed that once established, the Special Tribunal will conduct its proceedings in full accordance with international law and human rights, as set out in its statute. The ministers reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to the establishment of the Special Tribunal within the Council of Europe, its prompt commencement and support for its effective operation. They have urged other states and international organisations to actively contribute to the work of the Special Tribunal. The ministers noted that they look forward to the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Luxembourg on 13-14 May 2025, which will mark the next step towards formalising the establishment of the Special Tribunal within the Council of Europe. Background: European Pravda reported that there are expectations that the tribunal could begin its work next year. Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, expressed hope that the tribunal would issue a decision on aggression by 2026. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council of Europe urges Russia to stop repressions in temporarily occupied Crimea
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has drawn attention to Russia's continuing human rights violations in occupied Crimea and urged Russia to stop breaching international humanitarian law. Source: European Pravda, citing the press service for the Council of Europe, as stated in a decision by the Committee on the inter-state case Ukraine v. Russia concerning Crimea, adopted at the last quarterly meeting on the supervision of the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Details: The Committee of Ministers called on the Russian Federation to restore the application of Ukrainian law in Crimea, to cease practices that violate the European Convention on Human Rights, and to release all Crimean political prisoners. The Committee condemned Russia's violations of the Convention and international humanitarian law, such as ill-treatment and torture, arbitrary detention, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances. Moscow is urged to stop these actions, to ensure that prisoners have access to independent legal advice and medical treatment, and to allow communication with their families. Russia is urged to allow independent international bodies to monitor the health and conditions of detainees and to submit a list of detainees so that the Committee can monitor the progress of their release. Moscow is urged to cease the practice of transferring prisoners from Crimea to the Russian Federation and to bring those who have been moved to Russian territory back to the peninsula. The Committee called on Russia to end discrimination against and the persecution of Crimean Tatars, to ensure the right to education in Crimea in the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages, to stop the persecution of Ukrainian-speaking children and teachers, to lift the illegal restriction on freedom of movement between Crimea and mainland Ukraine, to cease and reverse the expropriation of property, and to ensure the legal possibility and adequate facilities for opting out of Russian citizenship. "The Committee of Ministers invited the authorities of the 46 Council of Europe member states to explore all possible means to ensure the execution of this judgment, to ensure accountability for the serious breaches of international law established in it," the statement said. The Committee of Ministers noted that Moscow remains obliged to execute ECHR judgments despite its expulsion from the Council of Europe. Background: The president of the ECHR has stated that the consideration of interstate cases against Russia is a priority for the court. Currently, there are five such cases – four involving Ukraine and one concerning Georgia. In the case of Ukraine v Russia (regarding Crimea), a judgment has been delivered on the merits. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
