August 14, 2026
By Işıl Kurnaz From the 2003 decision in M.C. v. Bulgaria to the January 2026 decision in Z v. Iceland, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has been applying its consent-based approach to sexual violence cases with increasing rigour. Consequently, it is no longer merely how a Member State defines sexual violence that shapes […]
July 17, 2026
by Emma de Vries The European Commission for Democracy through Law of the Council of Europe (hereafter: the Venice Commission or the Commission) published its Updated Rule of Law Checklist in December 2025. Among other, the Checklist affords a more central place to the relationship between the Rule of Law and academic and educational institutions. […]
July 14, 2026
by Dr Gunay Ismayilova The European Court of Human Rights’ recent judgment in Addonizio and Others v Italy, concerning the long-term environmental consequences of waste mismanagement in the Terra dei Fuochi region, islikely to be remembered as an environmental case under Article 8 of the Convention that settles an up until then evolving approach to […]
July 10, 2026
by Dr David Mier Galera In Biliński v. Poland (April 15, 2026), the ECtHR once again defends the independence of Polish judges against arbitrary actions by higher judicial bodies and the National Council of the Judiciary affected by the judicial reform in Poland. The judicial reform in Poland was approved in 2017, but its effects […]
June 30, 2026
By Babette De Naeyer Imagine this: it’s December and you live in Georgia – obviously, it’s dreadful outside. You work as one of the many cogs in the platform economy: driving around on your scooter in the pouring rain, trying to deliver warm pizzas on people’s doorsteps. Recently, your city’s mayor overhauled the urban transport […]
June 23, 2026
By dr. Ufuk Yeşil Introduction On May 5, 2026, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in the case of Yasak v. Türkiye (Application No. 17389/20). By a majority, the Court held that the conviction of the applicant under Article 314 § 2 of the Turkish Penal Code […]
June 16, 2026
By Dr. Vladislava Stoyanova Introduction Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 with the song Bangaranga. Soon after the initial euphoria (the song was indeed the best!, but nobody believed that we could actually win), Bulgaria started to discuss its preparedness to organise large-scale events involving many people and ensuring safety. Such discussions are […]
June 12, 2026
by Marilena I. Katsogiannou The intersection of alternatives to prosecution and fair trial guarantees has long occupied a contested space in European criminal procedure. In B.G. v. France (application no. 70945/17, 19 March 2026), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) confronted this tension in its most acute form: a minor who had reported a […]
June 09, 2026
By dr. Daniel Thym Debates about migration often follow binary descriptions, such as the juxtaposition of state interests and migrant rights. Real life is often more ambiguous, as the Chișinău Declaration, adopted on 15 May 2026, illustrates well. Its focus on migration confronts one of the hottest topics in contemporary politics which holds the potential […]
June 05, 2026
By Jessica Schultz and Jens Vedsted-Hansen Last week, the Committee of Ministers adopted the anticipated Chişinău Declaration, outlining political guidance to the ECtHR in cases related to migration control. A target of discontent is the application of Article 8, which may block states from deporting or denying residence to migrants with strong personal ties to […]
May 26, 2026
By Lena Riemer The distance between Willemstad and Strasbourg is roughly 7,500 kilometers. Yet, as a self-governing constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao is bound by the treaty obligations entered into by the Netherlands, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). For that reason, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) […]
May 12, 2026
By Marion Sandner In its decision on 5 March 2026, in European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) v France, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) effectively put its foot down for the rights of beggars, homeless people and others living in poverty in […]
May 08, 2026
By Sotiris Paphitis In its recent judgment in X v. Georgia, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR or the Court) was once again confronted with a question that has become increasingly prominent in its recent case-law on sexual violence: can a State be said to have complied with its positive obligations under Articles 3 and […]
May 05, 2026
By Katarzyna Sękowska-Kozłowska Starting with its seminal judgment in Opuz v. Turkey of 2009, the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’ or ‘the Court’) acknowledged that passivity on the part of state authorities in addressing domestic violence may amount to a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights […]
May 01, 2026
By Lewis Graham and Marion Sandner Introduction When determining whether an interference with a Convention right relating to socio-economic matters has been justified by a state, the European Court of Human Rights usually asks whether the measure in question is said to be ‘manifestly without reasonable foundation’. This test has a long lineage – it […]
April 28, 2026
by Ananya Kumar-Banerjee Introduction On 3 February 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (“Strasbourg”) handed down OH and Others v Serbia (No. 57185/17) (“OH and Others”). Strasbourg considered whether the Serbian Government’s pushback of seventeen migrants into Bulgaria was in breach of the European Convention. Ultimately, the Court held that Serbia had breached Articles […]
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 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 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 […]