The European Court of Human Rights is the largest international court in the world. It has profoundly shaped human rights all over Europe and indeed also in other continents. Its activities are based on the European Convention on Human Rights. This course aims at presenting the essentials of the Convention and the Court’s interpretation thereof. Separate sections will deal with the right to individual application and Inter-State applications; institutional and procedural issues, the various admissibility criteria (including jurisdiction); the methods of interpreting the Convention; and not least the implementation of the Court’s judgments.

As one part of the course, the facts will be presented scientifically and in their context. The other part will deal with the analysis of these facts. There will furthermore be a survey of some 10 important judgments of the Court. All this will be presented in a document handed out to the participants including a number of analytical questions to be discussed. Active participation will be expected. This document – amounting to some 40 pages – will be the basis of the course.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Mark Villiger