The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, issued a toolkit for governments across Europe on respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law during the COVID-19 crisis. “The virus is destroying many lives and much else of what is very dear to us. We should not let it destroy our core values and free societies,” said the Secretary General. The toolkit is designed to help ensure that measures taken by member states during the current crisis remain proportional to the threat posed by the spread of the virus and are limited in time. The document covers four key areas: 

1. Derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights in times of emergency  

2. Respect for the rule of law and democratic principles in times of emergency, including limits on the scope and duration of emergency measures 

3. Fundamental human rights standards including freedom of expression, privacy and data protection, protection of vulnerable groups from discrimination and the right to education 

4. Protection from crime and the protection of victims of crime, in particular regarding gender-based violence. 

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