The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, released today a memorandum asking the Georgian authorities to make progress in ensuring accountability for the disproportionate use of force against protesters and to reverse legislation curtailing freedom of assembly, association and expression in Georgia, following his visit to the country in April 2026.

Ensuring law enforcement accountability

The Commissioner welcomes a legislative proposal requiring all law enforcement personnel to wear visible identification numbers and calls for its prompt adoption and effective implementation. He acknowledges the recently announced criminal charges against five police officers for the use of disproportionate force against protesters and journalists in 2024 and early 2025. However, given that the Public Defender received ill-treatment reports from 360 protesters, the Commissioner is concerned about the substantial delays and the limited progress made to date. He underlines the importance of implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights concerning effective and independent investigations into allegations of ill-treatment and the policing of demonstrations.

“Without further delay, the authorities should ensure a thorough, independent and transparent inquiry into the reported use of water cannons containing chemical substances against protesters, with the full participation of victims and civil society, and public disclosure of the findings,” said Commissioner O’Flaherty.

Protecting democratic freedoms

The Commissioner regrets that, rather than reviewing existing restrictions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, the Georgian authorities adopted further limitations in October and December 2025. These include a mandatory prior notification requirement for any assembly, including spontaneous protests, new police powers to restrict protesters from impairing road or pedestrian traffic, expanded administrative sanctions, and criminal liability for repeated protest-related administrative offences.

“These amendments significantly restrict the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and appear incompatible with the principles of necessity and proportionality enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR),” said Commissioner O’Flaherty.

The Commissioner is concerned about the chilling effect of several laws relating to ‘foreign influence’ on civil society organisations (CSOs), human rights defenders and journalists. “I call for the repeal of the Foreign Agents Registration Law, which requires legal and natural persons to register as ‘agents of a foreign principal’ and of the wide-ranging amendments to the Law on Grants, which prohibit CSOs from receiving foreign funding without official permission. The authorities should also halt the administrative and criminal proceedings against dozens of CSOs for receiving foreign funding or for alleged involvement in aggravated sabotage, and immediately lift the freeze on their bank accounts,” said Commissioner O’Flaherty.

He considers that ongoing legal actions targeting opposition parties and politicians appear to be inconsistent with the ECHR.

Finally, the Commissioner warns that restrictions on freedom of expression, including the ban on foreign funding for media outlets and the cumulative effect of amendments to defamation law, risk driving journalists towards self-censorship.

• Read the Commissioner's full Memorandum on Georgia following his visit to the country
• Read the comments of the Georgian authorities on the Commissioner's Memorandum

La disposición novena de la nueva ley encarga la evaluación y el seguimiento del proceso a la institución del Síndic

El Parlamento de Cataluña ha aprobado hoy por unanimidad la Ley para la erradicación del amianto de Cataluña, un paso importante para la salud pública y la seguridad de la ciudadanía. Esta norma responde a una demanda largamente expresada por la síndica, que ha alertado repetidamente de los riesgos de ese material.

Esta ley establece medidas para identificar, retirar y gestionar de forma segura los materiales con amianto en todo el territorio catalán. El objetivo es reducir la exposición de la población y prevenir enfermedades graves asociadas a este material.

Además, la disposición adicional novena de la nueva ley encarga al Síndic de Greuges de Cataluña la función de evaluar y efectuar el seguimiento del proceso de retirada de los materiales con amianto. Este control se llevará a cabo mediante un apartado específico dentro de los informes anuales o bien a través de informes monográficos, con periodicidad anual o bienal. Con esta medida, se refuerza la transparencia y se garantiza que la ciudadanía esté informada sobre la evolución del proceso de eliminación del amianto.

La nueva ley representa un firme compromiso de las instituciones para proteger la salud y avanzar hacia un entorno más seguro para todos.

Ce mercredi 10 juin, le Médiateur, Nicolas Lagasse, a remis le Quatorzième Rapport annuel (01.01.2025 – 31.12.2025) à Benoît Dispa, Président du Parlement de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, et à Willy Borsus, Président du Parlement de Wallonie. C'est le premier rapport que Nicolas Lagasse présente depuis sa prestation de serment le 16 juillet 2025.

Retrouvez le rapport annuel 2025 ici

Une Institution au service des droits des citoyens

Le Médiateur occupe une position singulière dans le paysage institutionnel : ni juge, ni avocat, il se situe à l'interface entre le citoyen et l'Administration. Sa mission est de conférer toute leur effectivité aux droits : en accueillant la parole du citoyen lorsque celui-ci s'estime confronté à un manquement aux principes de bonne administration, en dialoguant avec les services publics pour dégager des voies de conciliation, et en formulant des recommandations destinées à améliorer durablement les pratiques administratives. Dans son rapport 2025, le Médiateur adresse 70 recommandations aux membres des Gouvernements et à leurs Administrations — 10 nouvelles et 60 reconduites – auxquelles s'ajoutent 10 recommandations antérieures ayant trouvé une suite favorable en 2025.

Le droit à l'erreur : fil rouge de 2025

Placé sous le signe du droit à l'erreur du citoyen dans sa relation à l'Administration, ce rapport illustre, à travers des cas concrets, qu'une erreur commise de bonne foi ne devrait pas entraîner de conséquences disproportionnées. Ce principe — adopté en mars 2025 par Ombudsman.be, le réseau belge des Ombudsmans et Médiateurs — appelle à une Administration respectueuse du principe de proportionnalité, attentive à accompagner l'usager plutôt qu'à le sanctionner pour une maladresse.

4.897 dossiers traités en 2025

En 2025, le service a enregistré 4.897 réclamations (60 % concernant la Wallonie, 26 % la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles). Sur les dossiers instruits au fond, 1.330 ont été déclarés fondés, dont 862 ont abouti à une correction de la part de l'Administration. Les matières les plus représentées sont l'enseignement (au premier rang), la fiscalité, le logement — où la révision soudaine des primes Habitation par le Gouvernement wallon en février 2025 a généré un afflux notable de réclamations —, la distribution d'eau, l'urbanisme et l'environnement.

Médiation locale : deux poids, deux mesures selon la commune de résidence

Pour la première fois, le rapport consacre un chapitre entier à la médiation locale. S’il faut se réjouir que 49 communes et 1 CPAS sont déjà partenaires du Médiateur, force est de constater qu’il existe aujourd’hui une inégalité de traitement difficilement justifiable entre citoyens : 140 réclamations n'ont pu être instruites en 2025, faute de convention entre la commune concernée et le Médiateur. Qu'un citoyen puisse ou non faire valoir ses droits auprès du Médiateur selon la commune où il réside constitue une rupture d'égalité. Le Médiateur recommande que lui soit reconnue une compétence générale à l'égard de l'ensemble des collectivités locales : la qualité des droits d'un citoyen ne peut dépendre de la commune où il réside.

« Ce rapport est le premier que j'ai l'honneur de présenter aux Parlements. La mission du Médiateur est, au fond, une mission de confiance : rapprocher le citoyen de l'Administration et l'Administration du citoyen, dans un rôle d'intermédiaire exigeant et équilibré, pour que les droits ne restent pas lettre morte. La médiation n'est pas un aveu d'échec : c'est un outil de gouvernance moderne, au service de la qualité administrative et de la confiance des citoyens. Le droit à l'erreur nous a servi de fil rouge dans ce rapport, car il traduit, au plus près du terrain, cette exigence d'une Administration à la fois rigoureuse et humaine. »

A disabled teenager was left unable to use their wheelchair or access essential medical equipment following major surgery, because of avoidable failures by a London council, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.

The Ombudsman’s investigation into London Borough of Barking and Dagenham found that a family including a teenager, who is unable to walk and has extensive care needs, remained in unsuitable accommodation for almost 18 months due to accumulated delays and other failures by the council.

A representative on behalf of the family told the council the teenager could not use their wheelchair inside the flat, there was no space for a mobile hoist to help move them, and all  changes of the teenager’s position had to be carried out manually, posing a health and safety risk to the teenager and their carers.

After being clearly informed the property was unsuitable, Barking and Dagenham failed to consider whether the family might be legally homeless. It also delayed by five months completing an Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment, requested by the teen’s hospital. This meant they underwent major surgery before the council had gathered the basic information needed to understand the family's circumstances. Following the surgery, all transfers had to be completed by hoist – equipment the family had no room to store or use in their current home.

The council also failed to properly explain a decision about the family’s rights to housing or inform them of their right to appeal. There was also an eight-month delay in the council issuing a formal complaint response.

Amerdeep Clarke, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

"This case is a stark reminder of what can happen when processes fail a vulnerable child. The teenager underwent major surgery and came home to a property where they could not use their wheelchair, could not access their medical equipment, and could not move around with the dignity and independence they deserved. That is a deeply troubling outcome, and one that may have been avoided had the council acted promptly.

"There are clear lessons here for all councils. The legal duty to consider whether a family may be homeless is triggered at a low threshold. It does not require a formal application or a visit to a specific department. Occupational Therapy assessments must be completed without undue delay, particularly where a person's medical needs are pressing. And when residents raise complaints, councils must respond fully and on time.

"I welcome the fact that Barking and Dagenham has accepted all of our recommendations. The action plans they have committed to, on homelessness and OT waiting times, should prevent similar injustice in the future. I would encourage councils across the country to reflect on this case and consider whether their own processes meet the standards residents should expect."

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman remedies injustice and shares learning from investigations to help improve public, and adult social care, services. In this case the council has agreed to apologise to the family and pay them £1,200. It will also meet with them to explore their housing options.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve processes for the wider public. In this case the council has agreed to improve guidance to complaints officers. It has also committed to producing action plans, with senior-level monitoring, setting out how it will identify potential homelessness cases at any point of contact and reduce OT waiting times.