Venice Commission examines media freedom in Italy, constitutional reform
in Armenia and electoral reform in Azerbaijan

Strasbourg, 09.06.2005 – The Council of Europe Commission for Democracy
through Law (“Venice Commission”), which this year marks its 15th
anniversary, will hold its 63rd plenary session in Venice on 10 and 11
June (Scuola Grande di San-Giovanni Evangelista).

On the session agenda are the examination of a number of important legal
texts from different countries, and the adoption of several opinions.
The Commission will, for example, adopt its second interim opinion on
constitutional reform in Armenia, and discuss the amendments to the law
on the procedure for conducting rallies and demonstrations in this
member country. An exchange of views is foreseen with Tigran Torossian,
Vice-President of the National Assembly of Armenia.

Joint opinions of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on the
revised draft amendments to the electoral codes of Armenia and
Azerbaijan will also be adopted.

Another point on the agenda is the adoption of an opinion, drawn up by
the Commission at the request of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe, on the compatability of the Italian “Gasparri” and
“Frattini” laws with the Council’s standards concerning freedom of
expression and media pluralism, with particular reference to the case
law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Finally, opinions will also be adopted concerning the question of
de-certification of police officers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the
federal law on the Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation, and
the amendments of 8 December 2004 to the Constitution of Ukraine.

A press briefing will take place on Saturday 11 June at 12.45 (Scuola
Grande di San-Giovanni Evangelista).

All adopted opinions will be available on the Commission’s website,
following the session:

Contacts in Venice:

Tatyana MYCHELOVA, Secretariat of the Venice Commission
Mobile: + 33 6 76 72 04 02
Roberto TUMBARELLO, Council of Europe Press Correspondent for Italy
Mobile: + 39 335 69 38 216

Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 312a05
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
pressunit@coe.int
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A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46
member states.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress