Schieb: Human Rights Must Be Honored Despite Anti-Covid-19 Measures

Thomas Schieb (BETAPHOTO)

A rise in hate rhetoric was observed during the coronavirus pandemic, primarily against the minorities, with threats to journalists and with family violence, and that it why it is necessary to find balance and secure the honoring of human rights and liberties, despite adhering to the prescribed measures for stopping the Covid-19, it was concluded in Belgrade on Nov. 4, at the conference to mark the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.

"Many minorities in Europe are facing prejudice and that situation has deteriorated during the pandemic, and that is why a European standard is required to create balance between the restrictive and over-relaxed principle," the German ambassador in Belgrade, Thomas Schieb, stated at the conference organized by the Belgrade office of the Council of Europe. This month, Germany is to take over the presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Greece.

Germany, which is also presiding over the Council of the European Union, will use the opportunity to generate synergy between these two tracks and the EU will approach the European Convention on Human Rights, Schieb announced, adding that Germany would continue to promote the activities against the pandemic, but also attempt to reduce its influence on the most vulnerable groups.

The conference ceremony to mark 70 years of the European Convention on Human Rights, held live at the Rectorate of the University in Belgrade and broadcast via a video-link, was opened by the chief of the Council of Europe's mission in Belgrade, Tobias Flessenkemper.