Recommendation 285 (1961)
Rights of national minorities
The Assembly,
Recalling its Recommendation 234 proposing the conclusion of a Second Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights;
Having regard to the fact that, in various member States of the Council of Europe, there exist non-dominant groups conscious of belonging to a national minority;
Noting that Article 14 of the Convention on Human Rights already affords to persons belonging to national minorities a certain measure of protection, in that it protects these persons against discrimination in the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms covered by the Convention;
Considering that it is desirable that the collective interests of national minorities should be satisfied to the extent compatible with safeguarding the essential interests of the States to which these minorities belong;
Having considered the Report of its Legal Committee (Doc. 1299),
Recommends to the Committee of Ministers :
Draft
for an article relating to the protection of national minorities to be included in the Second Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
ARTICLE ...
Persons belonging to a national minority shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, and as far as compatible with public order, to enjoy their own culture, to use their own language, to establish their own schools and receive teaching in the language of their choice or to profess and practise their own religion.