Council of Europe chief criticises push to ease expulsion of foreign criminals

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The head of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog, criticised an initiative by nine European countries calling on member states to make it easier to expel foreign criminals.

European governments have expressed frustration with the European Court of Human Rights' use of the European Convention on Human Rights to block deportations, and they are calling for a review of the court's interpretation.

"In a society governed by the rule of law, no judiciary should face political pressure. Institutions that protect fundamental rights cannot bend to political cycles," said Secretary General Alain Berset in a statement on Saturday.

"If they do, we risk eroding the very stability they were built to ensure. The court must not be weaponised — neither against governments, nor by them."

In a letter drafted by nine European countries, spearheaded by Italy and Denmark, ahead of a meeting on Thursday between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, urged the EU to review how courts interpret the convention.

The countries argue that member states should have greater national autonomy in deciding when to expel criminal foreign nationals. They say they have witnessed cases where the court's interpretation has protected the wrong individuals and imposed excessive limitations on states' ability to expel foreigners.

Berset emphasised that the European Court of Human Rights exists to protect the rights and values of member states, and that "upholding the independence and impartiality of the Court is our bedrock".

(Reporting by Amina Ismail; editing by David Evans)