Abstract

Democracy, human rights, and the rule of law represent core values of the Council of Europe. Despite their fundamental importance, each of them has recently come under threat, as authoritarianism is spreading across Europe. One can no longer distance themselves from this phenomenon; what used to be treated as a marginalised rhetorical tool is now affecting state-wide policies in several European countries. It is no longer a purely local concern; effects of authoritarian pressure against democratic values in Europe (and worldwide) have made it clear that a concerted and coherent effort is required to protect the very essence of these values. Combining a vast academic expertise with practitioner’s experience, Nils Muižnieks is one of the most qualified human rights experts to provide an informed perspective of the tools that the Council of Europe possesses to fight back against authoritarianism.

Speaker

Nils Muižnieks is a Latvian political scientist and human rights expert with extensive experience in academia, NGOs, government, and intergovernmental organisations. He is currently the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus. Previously, he has held a number of leadership positions, including Europe Regional Director at Amnesty International (2020-2024), Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe (2012-2018), and chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (2010-2012) He has published widely on human rights in Europe and Russia’s relations with its neighbours.

Chair: Yvonne Donders

Discussant: Dilek Kurban