Dunja Mijatovic

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic posted this on Facebok on Monday, adding:

"We all, state authorities, international organizations, civil society, academia and the media must do our utmost to counter this trend and recommit to the values and principles born after the tragedy of the Holocaust."

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has announced her decision to intervene in a case against jailed Turkish rights activist Osman Kaval before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday pressed Greek authorities to take urgent action to improve conditions at migrant reception facilities on the Aegean islands, particularly on Lesvos and Samos.

Describing living conditions at the camps as "abhorrent," UNHCR spokesperson Charlie Yaxley expressed fears that they would only worsen.

Greece must urgently adopt long-term measures to improve the reception and integration of migrants, as well as to contain the negative effect of austerity measures on access to their health care and education, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic said Tuesday.

Mijatovic was speaking as a report was released on her visit to Greece in June.

"And it has caused immense suffering and hardship to thousands of people who sought our protection.

Mijatovic was elected by Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) at its plenary session in Strasbourg, for a non-renewable term of six years starting on April 1, 2018, the CoE announced.

She obtained 107 of the votes cast in the second round, a relative majority. Pierre-Yves Le Borgn' (France) obtained 103 votes and Goran Klemencic (Slovenia) obtained 19 votes.

Greek Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas is not among the final top three candidates for the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, after coming in fourth place on Thursday with 21 votes.

"We made a dignified effort," he told Kathimerini. "We believed the country deserved this position after everything it has done. But the people who did qualify are excellent for the job."

Austrian President Alexander Van Der Bellen has awarded the honorary Order of Merit of the Austrian Republic to Dunja Mijatovic.

As announced, Mijatovic, a former OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media, was recognized for promotion and protection of human rights during her term as the OSCE representative.

Elvi Fundo, director of the news portal Citynews.al and Radio Best, was beaten up by unidentified assailants near Tirana's train station on Wednesday and later hospitalized.

Dunja Mijatovic has called on OSCE states to step up their investigations and identify and prosecute those who commit crimes against journalists.

The OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media issued this statement on November 2, International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists.