Last Updated: Thursday, 25 May 2023, 07:30 GMT

Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights

The Court, based in Strasbourg, was set up as a result of the European Convention on Human Rights, created in 1950. This set out a catalogue of civil and political rights and freedoms. It allows people to lodge complaints against States which have signed up to the Convention for alleged violations of those rights. Although founded in 1950, the Court did not actually come into existence until 1959. It gained its present form as a single European Court of Human Rights when Protocol No. 11 to the ECHR took effect in 1998.

The Court is currently made up of 47 judges, one in principle for every State signed up to the Convention. They are elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and serve for six years. Judges sit on the Court as individuals and do not represent their country.  Website: www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=home
Filter:
Showing 1-5 of 5 results
Guide on Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights - No punishment without law: the principle that only the law can define a crime and prescribe a penalty

31 December 2020 | Publisher: Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights | Document type: Case Law Compilations/Analyses

Homosexuality: Criminal Aspects

June 2011 | Publisher: Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights | Document type: Case Law Compilations/Analyses

The role of public prosecutor outside the criminal law field in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights

March 2011 | Publisher: Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights | Document type: Case Law Compilations/Analyses

Prisoners' Right to Vote

February 2011 | Publisher: Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights | Document type: Case Law Compilations/Analyses

Detention and Mental Health

September 2010 | Publisher: Council of Europe: European Court of Human Rights | Document type: Case Law Compilations/Analyses

Search Refworld