Hammarberg Thomas

This author's articles

• French detention and immigration policies

  3 December 2008
  «Security concerns should not undermine a full respect for human rights norms. Some French policies on detention and immigration risk undermining these standards.» With these words, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, presented today his report on France, identifying problems as regards prison conditions, preventive detention (rétention de sûreté ), juvenile justice and rights of migrants.

• «It is wrong to criminalize migration»

  4 November 2008
  I have observed with increasing concern a trend to criminalize the irregular entry and presence of migrants as part of a policy of ‘migration management’. Such a method of controlling international movement corrodes established international law principles. It also causes many human tragedies without achieving its purpose of genuine control.

• «No place for complacency about Human Rights»

  29 October 2007
  In a speech delivered at the European Policy Centre in Brussels, Commissioner Hammarberg stressed the need to improve Europe’s efforts to implement human rights standards and practice. «There is no place for complacency about human rights issues» he said. «We know that there is an implementation deficit. A more serious political response by European institutions and governments is needed». The speech put an emphasis on the necessity for Governments and international organisations to adopt effective measures to bridge the gap between declarations and implementation. The Commissioner pointed out that, while international mechanisms have to «be impartial and beyond suspicion» in carrying out their functions, Governments should listen carefully to independent monitors, underlining that «a true human rights policy must have an element of self-criticism». Thomas Hammarberg also deeply criticised the lack of a clear stand of European governments against the serious human rights violations caused by the US «war on terror» and called for «a more principled and unified European position in global human rights efforts».

• «Security agencies must be put under democratic control»

  27 June 2007
  We know that European national security services have taken part in the US-lead «war on terror». They have cooperated in actions which have violated human rights in the most flagrant manner. The leading and coordinating role has been played by the American CIA, but European agencies must assume their share of the responsibility for the abductions, renditions, secret detentions and unlawful interrogations.

• « Les Agences de sécurité doivent être soumises à un contrôle démocratique »

  27 juin 2007
  Nous savons que les services de sécurité nationaux d’Europe ont participé à la « guerre contre la terreur » menée par les USA. Ils ont participé à des opérations qui ont constitué des violations flagrantes des droits de l’homme. La CIA des USA a certes assuré la direction et la coordination des opérations, mais les services de renseignements d’Europe doivent accepter leur part de responsabilité pour les enlèvements, les « restitutions », les détentions secrètes et les interrogatoires illégaux.