Council of Europe's head says freedom of expression is a must for every country

ANKARA (A.A) - November 15, 2011 - The secretary general of the Council of Europe (COE) said on Tuesday that freedom of expression was an obligation that had to be present in every country. Thorbjorn Jagland said expression of certain ideas was a guarantee for the state, and countries could not protect themselves against misuse of power without criticism. Free rights were an obligation for progress, Jagland told a conference on European Court of Human Rights' rulings on Turkey in Ankara, Turkey. Jagland also said he hoped the workshop would be a milestone in human rights in Turkey.