Council of Europe
Michael O’Flaherty elected to serve as Commissioner for Human Rights (Jan. 24, 2024)

France commends the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on its election of Michael O’Flaherty as the organization’s Commissioner for Human Rights on January 24, 2024. Commissioner O’Flaherty can count on France’s support as he carries out his mandate of promoting respect for human rights in the 46 Council of Europe member States, beginning on April 1, 2024.

France would like to offer Dunja Mijatović its sincere thanks for her steadfast commitment to human rights on the European continent and her excellent work in this position since 2018.

Q&A

Yesterday, the deputy spokesperson indicated that he could share the Minister’s understanding of the concept of “mercenaries” and denied the fact that the French citizens who are fighting in Ukraine and are paid to do so are in fact mercenaries. Would you please share your understanding of the term, “mercenary?”

We will not provide any further comments on false information that was shared in an obvious attempt at manipulation.

International Court of Justice
Order of January 26, 2024

France is deeply committed to respect for international law and reaffirms its confidence in and support for the International Court of Justice.

France points out that, in its order today, the Court indicates provisional measures on the basis of Article 41 of its Statute, pending a ruling on its jurisdiction and on the merits of the case.

In this context, the Court will soon inform the parties to the Genocide Convention of the possibility open to them of submitting observations on the interpretation of the Convention. France intends to avail itself of this possibility and submit observations about its interpretation of the Convention, as it did in the Ukraine/Russia and Gambia/Myanmar cases. Among other things, it will state the importance it attaches to the Court taking into account the exceptional gravity of the crime of genocide, which requires the establishment of intent. As the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs has had the opportunity to point out, words must retain their meaning.

In the meantime, we also point out that, as the President and Minister have said, we are working towards a ceasefire and on many occasions have reiterated the importance we attach to Israel’s strict compliance with international humanitarian law, as the Court has also just done. We note that, like France, the Court is calling for the immediate, unconditional release of the hostages being held in Gaza, including three of our compatriots.

This decision by the Court increases our determination to work for such outcomes.