Submission by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation1 to the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) in view of its consideration of the Draft Report on possible amendment of Appendices 1 and 3 to Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec(2021)2 on measures against the trade in goods used for the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and on the possibility of introducing a simplified amendment procedure for Appendix 2.

Ahead of the 4 September meeting between Austria, Denmark, Germany, Greece and the Netherlands to discuss progress on plans to deport people to so-called “return hubs” in countries outside Europe where they may never have set foot, likely be to centres or facilities funded by EU member states, Eve Geddie, Director of the European Institutions Office of Amnesty International, said:

Dear President von der Leyen,

Amnesty International is presenting this submission to the European Commission ahead of the preparation of its 2026 Enlargement Package. It details Amnesty International’s human rights concerns and outlines key recommendations that the EU should prioritize in the framework of Serbia’s EU accession process as well as any other ongoing engagement with the authorities. 

To the attn. of:Mr Mihai Popșoi, Chairperson of the Committee of MinistersMinisters of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Justice of Council of Europe member States Permanent Representatives to the Council of EuropeMr Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of EuropeMs Petra Bayr, President of the Parliamentary AssemblyMr Mattias Guyomar, President of the European Court of Human RightsMr Michael O’Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights

As we mark four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and 12 years since its initial military intervention, Amnesty International issued the following letter to High Representative Kallas and EU Foreign Ministers, outlining our key calls to the European Union and its member states.

Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 February 2026, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) wrote to High Representative Kaja Kallas and EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, urging them to act for civilians caught in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The fall of Uvira, the second largest city in South Kivu province, to the Rwandan-backed armed group March 23 Movement (M23) on 10 December must catalyse the European Union (EU) and its member states’ response to the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Our organizations – Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) – call on the EU and its member states to redouble action on the conflict in eastern DRC, putting human rights and accountability for violations at the centre of their response.

Responding to EU home affairs ministers’ position on the EU Return Regulation agreed in Brussels today, Olivia Sundberg Diez, EU Advocate on Migration and Asylum at Amnesty International, said:

Dear African and European leaders,

Amnesty International and 8 international human rights organisations express profound concerns regarding the Georgian government’s all-out assault on human rights and civil society organisations in the country and call on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally end all persecution of civil society and media groups for their peaceful and legitimate work. The European Union, its member states and the broader international community should take urgent and coordinated measures to respond to and end this crackdown.

Reacting to today’s ruling by the European Union (EU) Court of Justice (ECJ) that Italy’s rules on designating certain countries of origin as ‘safe’ for people seeking asylum was incompatible with EU law, Adriana Tidona, Migration Researcher at Amnesty International, said: