April 21, 2026
by Joseph Finnerty States are increasingly adopting laws which place additional restrictions on civil society and media actors when they receive foreign assistance—financial or otherwise—for their advocacy or reporting activities. So-called ‘foreign agent’ laws are quickly becoming ubiquitous in autocratising contexts (see, most recently, the proposals emerging in Czechia). They vary in scope and in […]
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 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 24, 2026
We’re excited to bring you closer to the European Court of Human Rights through our brand-new podcast. Join us as we explore key judgments, discuss emerging legal trends, and talk with experts and academics who help make sense of Strasbourg’s evolving jurisprudence. Whether you’re a seasoned legal scholar or just curious about human rights in […]
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 […]
February 23, 2026
We’re excited to bring you closer to the European Court of Human Rights through our brand-new podcast. Join us as we explore key judgments, discuss emerging legal trends, and talk with experts and academics who help make sense of Strasbourg’s evolving jurisprudence. Whether you’re a seasoned legal scholar or just curious about human rights in […]
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 10, 2026
By Dr Rishika Sahgal On 23 October 2025, a Chamber of seven judges of the European Court of Human Rights handed down judgment in a case challenging the proportionality of a demolition order imposed on the home of the applicant, under Article 8 of the Convention. The case raises important issues with regards to the […]
January 20, 2026
By Dr. Thomas Joyce Introduction In November 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that inmates should not be prohibited from smoking in prison, pursuant to Article 8 of the ECHR. A small number of inmates brought the case against Estonia, after the Estonian Supreme Court (Riigiohus) declared that the complete ban on […]
January 16, 2026
By Babette De Naeyer Just before closing the books for the summer, the European Court of Human Rights (the Court) decided a novel and highly anticipated Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 (Article 3 P-1) case in Bradshaw a.o. v. the United Kingdom (22 July 2025), concerning disinformation and Russian election interference. The case had […]
November 27, 2025
Dr. Christian J. Tams From 2-4 December 2025, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will meet to discuss compliance with ECtHR judgments. The agenda for the meeting is dense. States increasingly struggle to (or choose not to) ‘abide by the final judgment of the Court in any case in which they are […]
November 21, 2025
By Dr. Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska In its recent case Mortensen v. Denmark, the ECtHR had yet another opportunity to assess whether calling someone a ‘Nazi’ falls within the boundaries of freedom of expression. Following earlier cases such as Lingens v. Austria, Brosa v. Germany and Balaskas v. Greece, the Court examined in detail whether such a […]
November 04, 2025
By dr. Ľalík Tomáš On 4 September 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) adopted a decision in the case of Figeľ v. Slovakia. Ján Figeľ alleged a violation of his freedom of religion due to the absolute prohibition of public worship during the Covid-19 pandemic in Slovakia. The case concerns the protection of […]
October 28, 2025
by Casper Vanspauwen In Kovačević v. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2025), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) was called upon to rule once again on the compatibility of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In Sejdić and Finci v. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009), the Court had already […]
October 24, 2025
By Lize Glas In Hora v. the United Kingdom, published on 23 September 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (the Court) had to decide whether the applicant’s disenfranchisement was compatible with Article 3 of Protocol 1 (P1), which protects the right to free elections. However, the ongoing dialogue for more than twenty years between […]
October 21, 2025
By Dr. Ufuk Yeşil On July 22, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in Demirhan and Others v. Türkiye (Demirhan), addressing the convictions of 239 Turkish nationals for alleged membership in the Gülen movement, primarily based on their alleged use of the encrypted messaging application ByLock. Building on the landmark […]
October 14, 2025
by Sam Chollet In T.H. v. Czech Republic, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) reiterated that the requirement for trans* people to undergo genital surgery to have their gender legally recognised violates the right to private life. But this apparent victory for trans* rights represents a drawback for non-binary trans* people. Summary of the […]
September 30, 2025
By Dr Costas Paraskeva and Eleni Meleagrou Introduction On June 10, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (‘The Court’) delivered its judgment in the case of K.V. Mediterranean Tours Limited v. Türkiye . This is the fourth time that the Court has reviewed the domestic remedy set up by Türkiye, within its subordinate administration of […]
September 26, 2025
by Gvantsa Danelia The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) recently delivered its judgment in Matchavariani v. Georgia (Application no. 46852/21). At first glance, the case might seem like another routine finding of a violation in an administrative detention case. However, a closer examination reveals a subtle yet crucial message from Strasbourg, particularly concerning a […]