The Council of Europe (CoE) issued guidelines for member state government on respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law during the coronavirus pandemic.

A press release said that CoE Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric issued “a toolkit for governments across Europe on respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law during the COVID-19 crisis” which was sent to all 47 CoE member states.  

“The virus is destroying many lives and much else of what is very dear to us. We should not let it destroy our core values and free societies,” the press release quoted her as saying.

“The major social, political and legal challenge facing our member states will be their ability to respond to this crisis effectively, whilst ensuring that the measures they take do not undermine our genuine long-term interest in safeguarding Europe’s founding values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” she added.

The press release said that the toolkit, designed to help ensure that measures taken by member states during the pandemic are proportional to the threat and time limited.

The document covers four key areas: Derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights in times of emergency; Respect for the rule of law and democratic principles in times of emergency, including limits on the scope and duration of emergency measures; Fundamental human rights standards including freedom of expression, privacy and data protection, protection of vulnerable groups from discrimination and the right to education; Protection from crime and the protection of victims of crime, in particular regarding gender-based violence.

The Information Document also refers to new advice from the Committee of the Parties of the Council of Europe’s MEDICRIME Convention on the counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes.