Convention on human rights must adapt, says Council of Europe head

Alain Berset said the convention needs ‘adaptation’. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

The European convention on human rights (ECHR) must adapt while continuing to uphold its core values, the head of a European rights council has said.

Alain Berset, the secretary general of the Council of Europe (CoE), acknowledged growing criticism of the 75-year-old treaty, but said reform should be approached with care and rooted in shared democratic principles.