ELEN Press Releases

The European Language Equality Network has welcomed the adoption by Spain of the majority of recommendations made by States in the UN Universal Periodic Review on human rights. However, serious challenges remain in particular regarding rights to freedom of expression...

The European Language Equality Network joins with the Council of Europe and the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities in the call to ensure that all States communicate in their co-official, ‘regional’, indigenous, endangered or minority languages during the...

Spain’s human rights performance was reviewed by the United Nation’s Universal Periodic Review on Wednesday  (22nd January), with 15 States calling on Spain to guarantee the right to freedom of expression and protest in what the Catalan Foreign Minister has called a...

Language NGOs demonstrated in Paris on Saturday 30th November in protest over French Government proposals to reform education. The proposals will undermine the teaching of the lesser-used languages in the French state such as Basque, Catalan, Breton, Alsacian,...

The European Language Equality Network has called for a new UN instrument to protect minoritised, indigenous and endangered languages at the Forum for Minority Issues held at the UN in Geneva. This year’s Forum, focusing on education, language and the human rights of...

This year’s European Language Equality Network (ELEN) General Assembly, bringing together civil society language organisations from across Europe, was held in Roazhon-Rennes, Brittany, on 26th October with the UN Special Rapporteur for Minorities Dr. Fernand de...

The European Forum for Language Rights held in Roazhon-Rennes, Brittany on October 25th featured discussions on language rights and language projects in Brittany, Europe and globally. At the event NGOs and politicians strongly criticised state policies against...

This year’s European Language Equality Network (ELEN) General Assembly, bringing together civil society language organisations from across Europe, will be held in Roazhon-Rennes, Brittany, on Saturday 26th October, with the UN Special Rapporteur for Minorities Dr....

The Spanish Supreme Court’s ruling against the Catalan political prisoners is a disgrace for Spain, for Europe, for democracy, as well as undermining fundamental rights. On Monday (14th October) the Spanish Supreme Court sentenced two civil society leaders, Jordi...

The European Forum for Language Rights/Emgavioù Europa war ar Gwirioù Yezh will be held in Rennes, Brittany on Friday October 25th. The Forum, held the day before the annual ELEN General Assembly, will feature discussions on language rights in France, Europe and...

The European Language Equality Network (ELEN), the NGO that works for the protection and promotion of European lesser-used languages, has written to the leader of the Udmurt Republic, Alexei Prasolov, and politicians in the Russian Federation, concerning the death of...

The European Language Equality Network (ELEN) has submitted its second report for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Spain to the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The ELEN Report finds that several public institutions continue to...