Michael Polak addresses Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Deputies on the effective investigation and prosecution of crimes against women
On Thursday 5 June 2025, on the invitation of the Republic of Malta, Michael Polak addressed the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers’ Deputies in Strasbourg which was focussed on ‘The Effective Protection of the Victims of Gender-Based Violence’. Michael spoke about tactics and provisions for the proper investigation of sexual crimes and the deficiencies in both procedural provisions and substantive decisions which can lead to member states being the subject of adverse rulings before the European Court of Human Rights.
The event was held as part of the Republic of Malta’s Presidency of the Council of Europe.
The other speakers were Mr Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, the President of GREVIO, Dr Joanna Goodey, Head of the Justice, Digital and Migration Unit at the EU FRA, Mr Jean-Christophe (J-C) Le Toquin, co-founder of Survivors & Tech-solving Image-based Sexual Abuse (STISA), Ms Samantha Pacegasan, Malta’s Commissioner on Gender-Based and Domestic Violence, Ms Madeleine van der Bruggen, Deputy CEO of Off-Limits, and Dr Daniel Guinness, PhD Managing Director at Beyond Equality.
The event was opened by Mr Bjørn Berge, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Maltese Minister of Justice Jonathan Attard and chaired by Ambassador Francesca Camilleri Vettiger Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe. Dutch Ambassador Tanja Gonggrijp, Chair of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention, concluded the discussion.
Michael’s practice includes the prosecution of crimes against women and abuse as well as challenges to authorities’ decisions when contrary to the rights of the victims of sexual violence both domestically and before the European Court of Human Rights.
Michael is available for instruction for the victims of sexual offences for private prosecution or challenges to the decisions of state authorities by contacting his clerks by email clerks@churchcourthchambers.co.uk or phone +44 020 7936 3637
