Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan has been elected as Rapporteur for a key Council of Europe report on the Humanitarian consequences of the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Senator Gavan was elected by a significant margin by members of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, in a contest against two other candidates from Hungary and Ukraine.

He has been a very active member of the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe for the past three years, speaking out on a wide range of human rights issues including Palestine, Catalonia, and the rights of migrants and refugees. He was previously nominated to the influential Committee on Rules and Procedures for the Council in 2019. 

Speaking after his election as Rapporteur for the Committee, Senator Paul Gavan said:

 “I am honoured to have been elected as Rapporteur. The recent conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh has led to thousands of fatalities and a range of serious allegations of human rights abuses, alongside massive displacement of peoples.

“I have been tasked with leading a report into the humanitarian consequences of this conflict. I will seek to ensure that a light is shone on the plight of those affected, the actions of all parties involved, and try to highlight measures required to assist those most in need.

“This conflict has had tragic consequences in recent months, but has not received the attention it deserves.

“Migration and displacement of peoples are ever growing issues across Europe. The Committee has worked on many reports affecting migratory or displaced peoples entering European countries.

 “I would like to thank all members who have voted for me and hope that we can get to work now, establish the facts on the ground, and issue a clear report on the humanitarian consequences of the conflict with a major emphasis on accountability for actions undertaken on all sides.”