Don't Politicise Court Migration Rulings, Rights Boss Tells Meloni

Europe's leading human rights body has criticised nine governments that have urged a rethink of the interpretation of the European convention on human rights on migration issues.

- Jennifer Rankin

The Council of Europe secretary general, Alain Berset, spoke out against "politicising" the European court of human rights after nine European leaders signed a letter organised by Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen calling for an "open-minded conversation" about the interpretation of the convention.

The nine signatories, who also included the leaders of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, said governments needed more room to decide on when to expel foreign criminals and keep track of them when they cannot be deported, as well as to counter foreign states seeking to destabilise countries by sending migrants to their borders. "What was once right might not be the answer of tomorrow," the letter states.