Handbook on the European Convention on Human Rights

Mark E. Villiger, Dr. iur., formerly Judge and Section President at the European Court of Human Rights. Professeur titulaire emeritus at the University of Zurich / Switzerland.

Introduction


Abbreviations


Abridged Bibliography


References and CitationsVII


ForewordVIII





Part 1


1 Origin, Development and Binding Nature of the Convention


 A Introduction


 B Role of the Council of Europe


 C Signature and Ratification of the Convention


 D Protocols to the Convention


 E Binding Nature of the Convention


 F Right to Individual Application


 G Reservations


 H Relationship with the European Union (EU)


 I Appreciation





Part 2: Admissibility Conditions of an Application


2 Overview of the Admissibility Conditions


 A Introduction


 B Significance of Admissibility


 C Overview of the Admissibility Conditions





3 Personal, Territorial, Temporal and Subject-Matter Jurisdiction (Article 35 § 3[a] of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Personal Jurisdiction (ratione personae)


 C Territorial Jurisdiction (ratione loci)


 D Temporal Jurisdiction (ratione temporis)


 E Subject-Matter Jurisdiction (ratione materiae)


 F Appreciation





4 Exhaustion of Domestic Remedies (Article 35 § 1 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B “Vertical” Exhaustion of Domestic Remedies – From the First to the Last Instance


 C “Horizontal” Exhaustion of Domestic Remedies – Complying at Every Level with Procedural Requirements


 D Practical Advice to Applicants


 E Appreciation





5 Compliance with the Time-Limit of Four Months (Article 35 § 1 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Calculation of Time-Limit


 C Ineffective Remedies


 D 15th Protocol


 E Appreciation





6 Substantive Conditions: Manifest Ill-Foundedness and Absence of Significant Disadvantage (Article 35 § 3[a] and [b] of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Manifest Ill-Foundedness


 C Particular Aspects


 D Absence of Significant Disadvantage


 E Appreciation





Part 3: European Court of Human Rights


7 The Court’s Organisation


 A Introduction


 B Judges


 C Decision-Making Bodies


 D Working Methods


 E Parties before the Court


 F Court Statistics and Budget


 G Appreciation





8 Proceedings before the Court


 A Introduction


 B Admissibility Proceedings


 C Non-Contentious Proceedings


 D Proceedings on the Merits: Fact-Finding, Deliberations, Judgment


 E Referral and Relinquishment to the Grand Chamber


 F Provisional (interim) Measures (Rule 39 of the Rules of Court)


 G Pilot Procedure


 H Advisory Opinions upon Request by Domestic Superior Courts


 I Striking an Application out of the Court’s List of Cases (Article 37)


 J Interpretation and Reopening of Proceedings; Rectification of Errors


 K Appreciation





9 Inter-State Applications (Article 33 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Practice


 C Conditions


 D Appreciation





10 Judgments of the Court


 A Introduction


 B Contents


 C Just Satisfaction


 D Effects


 E Supervision by the Committee of Ministers


 F Examples for the Execution of Judgments


 G Appreciation





11 Principles of the Interpretation and Application of the Substantive Guarantees of the Convention and Its Protocols


 A Introduction


 B Concrete and Abstract Review of Norms


 C Party Presentation and Proceeding ex officio; iura novit curia


 D Principles of Interpretation


 E Characteristics of the Convention


 F Appreciation





Part 4: Substantive Guarantees of the Convention


12 Right to Life (Article 2 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Protection of Life


 C Temporal Components of Article 2 – Beginning and End of Life


 D Prohibition of Intentional Killing


 E Procedural Obligations


 F Appreciation





13 Prohibition of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Article 3 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Interpretation of Terms


 C Positive Obligations


 D Conditions of Detention


 E Expulsion and Extradition


 F Evidence before the Court


 G Appreciation





14 Prohibition of Forced Labour (Article 4 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Guarantees


 C Exceptions (Article 4 § 3)


 D Appreciation





15 Conditions of Deprivation of Liberty (Article 5 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Forms of Deprivation of Liberty


 C Domestic Procedure and Legal Basis as Prerequisites


 D Grounds for Deprivation of Liberty (Article 5 § 1[a]–[f])


 E Right to Information (Article 5 § 2)


 F Detention on Remand (Article 5 § 3)


 G Right to Review of Lawfulness of Detention (Article 5 § 4)


 H Right to Compensation (Article 5 § 5)


 I Appreciation





16 Guarantees of a Fair Trial (Article 6 of the Convention) – I Applicability and Scope of the Procedural Rights


 A Introduction


 B Civil Proceedings


 C Criminal Proceedings


 D Further Situations


 E Appreciation





17 Guarantees of a Fair Trial (Article 6 of the Convention) – II Requirements as to the Court


 A General Requirements


 B Legal Basis


 C Independence and Impartiality of the Court


 D Scope of Review of the Court


 E Right of Access to a Court


 F Appreciation





18 Guarantees of a Fair Trial (Article 6 of the Convention) – III Public Nature and Length of the Proceedings


 A Public Nature of the Proceedings


 B Reasonable Length of the Proceedings


 C Appreciation





19 Guarantees of a Fair Trial (Article 6 of the Convention) – IV Fairness of the Proceedings; Rights of the Defence


 A Introduction


 B “Fourth Instance” and Article 6


 C Fairness of the Proceedings (Article 6 § 1)


 D Presumption of Innocence (Article 6 § 2)


 E Specific Rights of the Accused (Article 6 § 3)


 F Expulsion and Extradition


 G Appreciation





20 No Punishment without Law (Article 7 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Content and Scope of Article 7


 C Offences Under International Law


 D Procedural Law


 E Nuremberg Trials (Article 7 § 2)


 F Appreciation





21 Preliminary Remarks on Articles 8 to 11: Justification of Interferences according to Their Respective Paragraph 2


 A Introduction


 B Determining an Interference and Its Consequences


 C Requirement of a Legal Basis


 D Legitimate Aim of the Interference


 E Necessity of the Measure





22 Right to Respect for Private and Family Life, for Home and Correspondence


 A Introduction


 B Right to Respect for Private Life


 C Right to Respect for Family Life


 D Separation of Family after Expulsion


 E Right to Respect for One’s Home


 F Right to Respect for One’s Correspondence


 G Appreciation





23 Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion (Article 9 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Individual Freedom of Religion According to Article 9 § 1


 C Justification of Interference according to Article 9 § 2


 D Constitutive-Institutional Functions


 E Overview of Case-Law


 F Appreciation





24 Freedom of Expression (Article 10 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Expression of One’s Views and Ideas


 C Freedom of Art and Science


 D Freedom of Information


 E Freedom of the Press


 F Internet


 G Freedom of Radio and Television


 H Appreciation





25 Freedom of Assembly and Association (Article 11 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Freedom of Assembly and Demonstration


 C Freedom of Association


 D Right to Form and Join Trade Unions


 E Restrictions on Members of the Armed Forces, the Police, and the State Administration (Article 11 § 2, Second Sentence)


 F Appreciation





26 Right to Marry (Article 12 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Scope of Application


 C Guarantees


 D Appreciation





27 Right to an Effective Remedy (Article 13 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Accessory Nature with Regard to Other Guarantees Laid Down in the Convention and Its Protocols


 C “Arguable Claim” Precondition


 D Compliance with Article 13 in Domestic Proceedings


 E Appreciation





28 Prohibition of Discrimination (Article 14 of the Convention)


 A Introduction


 B Reference to Other Provisions of the Convention and Its Protocols


 C Discrimination


 D Grounds of Justification


 E Appreciation





Part 5: Substantive Guarantees of the Protocols to the Convention


29 Guarantees of the (1st) Additional Protocol


 A Introduction


 B Protection of Property (Article 1 of the Additional Protocol)


 C Right to Education (Article 2 of the Additional Protocol)


 D Right to Free Elections (Article 3 of the Additional Protocol)





30 Guarantees of the 4th Protocol


 A Introduction


 B Prohibition of Imprisonment for Debt (Article 1)


 C Freedom of Movement (Article 2)


 D Prohibition of Expulsion of Nationals (Article 3)


 E Prohibition of Collective Expulsion of Foreigners (Article 4)





31 Prohibition of the Death Penalty (6th and 13th Protocols)


 A Abolition of the Death Penalty (6th Protocol)


 B Abolition of the Death Penalty in Time of War (13th Protocol)


 C Appreciation





32 Guarantees of the 7th Protocol


 A Introduction


 B Procedural Safeguards Relating to Expulsion of Aliens (Article 1)


 C Right of Appeal in Criminal Matters (Article 2)


 D Compensation for Wrongful Conviction (Article 3)


 E Right Not to Be Punished Twice – ne bis in idem (Article 4)


 F Equality between Spouses (Article 5)





33 General Prohibition of Discrimination (12th Protocol)


 A Overview


 B Interpretation


 C Appreciation





Part 6


34 Qualifications of the Substantive Rights of the Convention and Its Protocols (Article 15–18)


 A Introduction


 B Derogation in Times of Emergency (Article 15)


 C Restrictions on the Political Activity of Foreigners (Article 16)


 D Prohibition of the Abuse of Rights (Article 17)


 E Limitations on the Use of Restrictions on Rights (Article 18)





Conclusions


Annex – Texts of the Convention and Its Protocols


Index