April 20, 2026
What began as an open letter in May 2025 has evolved into an increasingly articulate call by a broad group of European leaders to revisit and reform the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly in relation to migration. This initiative has set in motion a reform process leading up to the May 2026 Chişinău meeting […]
April 17, 2026
Dear readers, In February, we presented you with this year’s edition of our annual Strasbourg Observers Best & Worst Poll, where we asked you to vote for your preferred candidates as shortlisted for the categories of Best Judgment of 2025, Worst Judgment of 2025, and Best Separate Opinion of 2025. The votes have been counted […]
April 14, 2026
By Prof. Dr. Birgit Peters Introduction The Fliegenschnee and Others v. Austria case is not the only inadmissibility decision in climate matters following the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR, or the Court) landmark ruling in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland. The number of inadmissible cases is growing. Just consider recent examples such […]
April 10, 2026
By Dr. David Mier Galera Over the last decade, several Central and Eastern European countries have successively elected leaders who reject democratic values. These politicians claim the legitimacy of their popular mandate to dismantle a so-called corrupt elite and portray migrants as an existential threat to the nation’s identity. Abusing their majority mandate, they introduce […]
April 07, 2026
By dr. Natasa Mavronicola I am grateful to Strasbourg Observers for hosting this symposium on Article 3’s past, present and future, and to Mary Rogan, Rishika Sahgal, Eva Sevrin and Elaine Webster for this rich set of insights offered in the shadow of Chișinău. It is an honour to be among these authors and I […]
April 06, 2026
By Professor Mary Rogan Prisons provide a special setting for the protections contained in Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is well established that when liberty is deprived, the right to protection from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is at particular risk (see further here, here, here and […]
April 03, 2026
By Dr Rishika Sahgal Introduction In the run-up to Chișinău, there has been increasing reference to the need to ‘constrain’ Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to the ‘most serious issues’. The implication of such perspectives is that the interpretation of Article 3 has involved something of an overreach, and that […]
April 02, 2026
By Dr. Elaine Webster *** Strasbourg Observers is currently hosting a blog symposium on Article 3 of the ECHR and the forthcoming Chișinău Declaration, examining the ECtHR’s approach in migration cases. The symposium was convened by Natasa Mavronicola. It also features contributions from Mary Rogan, Rishika Sahgal, Eva Sevrin, and Elaine Webster. *** Questioning the […]
April 01, 2026
By Eva Sevrin *** Over the next 10 days, Strasbourg Observers will be hosting a blog symposium on Article 3 ECHR and the forthcoming Chișinău Declaration on the ECtHR’s approach in migration cases. The symposium was convened by Natasa Mavronicola. It also features contributions from Mary Rogan, Rishika Sahgal, Eva Sevrin, and Elaine Webster. *** […]
March 31, 2026
By Professor Natasa Mavronicola *** Strasbourg Observers is currently hosting a blog symposium on Article 3 ECHR and the forthcoming Chișinău Declaration on the ECtHR’s approach in migration cases. The symposium was convened by Natasa Mavronicola. It also features contributions from Mary Rogan, Rishika Sahgal, Eva Sevrin, and Elaine Webster. *** Introduction In 2013, Francesco […]
March 30, 2026
By Dr. Natasa Mavronicola *** Over the next 10 days, Strasbourg Observers will be hosting a blog symposium on Article 3 ECHR and the forthcoming Chișinău Declaration on the ECtHR’s approach in migration cases. The symposium was convened by Natasa Mavronicola. It also features contributions from Mary Rogan, Rishika Sahgal, Eva Sevrin, and Elaine Webster. […]
March 27, 2026
Dr. Türkan Ertuna Lagrand[1] Introduction On 12 March 2026, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) rendered its long awaited judgment in the Shipova case (Case C‑43/24), which breaks new ground in the realm of European Citizenship Law, as well as significantly improves the rights of transgender persons in the EU. The case concerns […]
March 20, 2026
By Dr. Radosveta Vassileva On 17 February 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR or the Court) delivered its much-anticipated judgment in Green Alliance v Bulgaria (Application no 6580/22), which concerns the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR or the Convention) in the very sensitive context of national […]
March 13, 2026
by Dr. Beril Önder In the case of Ortega Ortega v. Spain (4 December 2025), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR or the Court) delivered a significant judgment concerning a highly relevant issue for gender equality: effective judicial protection against discrimination on the grounds of sex in the context of employment and equal remuneration. […]
March 10, 2026
By Stefan Robert McClean and Udit Mahalingam By six votes to one, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR or the Court) in Renouard v France held that the conferral of jurisdictional immunity to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before French courts did not breach Article 6 of the Convention on the right to access […]
March 06, 2026
By Louize Hannah Knops Social media has profoundly changed the exercise of free speech by enabling broader participation in public discourse while introducing risks regarding the rapid and widespread dissemination of information. This shift is equally evident within the judiciary; as judges increasingly utilise social media to voice their opinions, national authorities must balance the […]
March 03, 2026
On 9 December 2025, the European Court of Human Rights delivered its first merits judgment concerning remote hearings conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in Stephan Kucera v. Austria. The case related to an appeal hearing against a penalty notice which, under domestic law, was classified as an administrative fine. Owing to the severity of the […]
February 27, 2026
Dear readers, As we enter 2026, we at Strasbourg Observers want to take the opportunity to reflect upon last year. When it comes to the state of human rights across the globe, 2025 has proved to be yet another challenging year. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to cause bloodshed and suffering. In the Middle […]
February 20, 2026
by Ergün Cakal What is the adequate level of healthcare in prison? How are judges to make such assessments (and how well placed are they to do so anyway)? How is a prisoner’s own refusal of treatment to be weighed in that assessment? When does a lack of healthcare require that a prisoner be released? […]
February 18, 2026
Expert report drafted by Ellen Desmet (Ghent University), Eva Sevrin (KU Leuven, Ghent University) and Thomas Spijkerboer (Ghent University)[i] Introduction On 10 December 2025, 27 Council of Europe states adopted a statement expressing their concerns about the migration case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). They believe that the ECtHR imposes too […]