Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The European Court of Human Rights, established by and solely responsible for interpreting the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the Convention), is arguably the most developed and respected international court. Its caseload has swelled in the past two decades thanks in part to its growing legitimacy and to the Council of Europe's expansion since the fall of the Soviet Union. The Court delivered 36 judgments in the 1960s and 1970s. By comparison, it issued 1,560 judgments in 2006. The Court is increasingly seen as a legitimate influence with a vital role to play in protecting individual freedom throughout Europe (→  Communication Law and Policy: Europe ). Until 1999, the Court existed alongside the European Commission on Human Rights. The Commission reviewed cases and attempted to get the parties to the dispute to reach a friendly settlement before it referred deserving cases to the Court. A modification to the Convention – Protocol No. 11 – merged the Commission into the Court. Now the Court directly receives petitions from states and individuals who claim the Convention has been violated. Membership in the Council of Europe requires acceptance of the jurisdiction of the Court. The number of judges on the Court is set at the number of contracting states to the Convention, currently 47. Judges are elected by the Council of Europe's Parliamentary ... log in or subscribe to read full text