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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2017
This piece is adapted from an address delivered to a conference sponsored by the Council of Europe and PluriCourts on The Long-Term Future of the European Court of Human Rights in Oslo, Norway on April 7, 2014.
This post addresses the successes and challenges for the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), as seen from the outside. It draws upon my co-authored research on human rights systems outside of Europe to explain how these systems have responded to some of the same challenges now facing the Council of Europe and the ECtHR. My main contention is that international human rights courts, wherever they are located, require sustained political and material support if they are to thrive and grow over time.
1 See Uio: Pluricourts-Centre for the Study of the Legitimate Roles of the Judiciary in the Global Order.
2 Council of Europe, The Long-Term Future of the European Court of Human Rights, MultiRights Annual Conference, Oslo, Norway, Apr. 7-8 2014.
3 Law, Duke, Helfer Project Examines the Evolution of International Human Rights Courts in Africa, Duke Law News (Sept. 11, 2013)Google Scholar.
4 See Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
5 See African Court on Human and People’s Rights.
6 See Community Court of Justice – ECOWAS.
7 See The East African Court of Justice.
8 See Southern African Development Community.
9 Alter, Karen J. et al., A New International Human Rights Court for West Africa: The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, 107 AJIL 737 (2013)Google Scholar.
10 Greer, Steven, The Interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights: Universal Principle or Margin of Appreciation?, 3 UCL Human Rts. Rev. 1 (2010)Google Scholar.
11 Santo Domingo Massacre v. Colombia, Preliminary Objections, Merits and Reparations, Judgment, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C), No. 259 (Nov. 30, 2012).
12 Gelman v. Uruguay, Merits and Reparations, Judgment, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C), No. 221 (Feb. 24, 2011).
13 Atala Riffo & Daughters v. Chile, Request for Interpretation of Judgment on Merits, Reparations and Costs, Judgment, Inter. Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C), No. 254 (Nov. 21, 2012).
14 González et. al. (“Cotton Field “) v. Mexico, Preliminary Objection, Merits, Reparations, and Costs, Judgment, Inter. Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C), No. 205 (Nov. 16, 2009).
15 Christopher R. Mtikila v. The United Republic of Tanzania (Application No. 11/2011), African Ct. on Human & Peoples’ Rights (2011).
16 Katabazi and 21 Others v. Sec’y Gen. of the East African Community & Another, Judgment, (No.1/2007), E. African Ct. of Justice (Nov. 1, 2007).
17 See Case Law, Southern African Development Community Tribunal.
18 Treaty Establishing the East African Community, ch. 2: Establishment and Principles of the Community, art. V, art. VI, Nov. 30, 1999.
19 Mike Campbell (Pvt) Ltd and Others v. Republic of Zimbabwe, Judgment, (No. 2/2007), Southern African Development Community Trib. (Nov. 28, 2008).
20 Antkowiak, Tom, Remedial Approaches to Human Rights Violations: The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Beyond, 46 Colum. J. Transnat’l. L. 351 (2008)Google Scholar.
21 Huneeus, Alexandra, Courts Resisting Courts: Lessons from the Inter-American Court’s Struggle to Enforce Human Rights, 44 Cornell Int’l L. J. 493 (2011)Google Scholar.
22 See Alter et al., supra note 9.
23 Reverend Christopher R. Mtikila v. The United Republic of Tanzania (Application No. 11/2011), Judgment, African Ct. on Human & Peoples’ Rights (2011).
24 Serap v. Fed. Republic of Nigeria, Judgment, (No. 18/12), Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS (Dec. 14, 2012).
25 Krohnke, Duane W., Failed Efforts to Weaken the Inter-American Human Rights System Under the Guise of Reform, Dwk Commentaries (Mar. 26, 2013)Google Scholar.
26 Appellate Division, East African Court of Justice, East African Community.
27 The East African Law Society and 4 Others v. The Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya and 3 Others, Judgment, (No. 3/2007), East African Ct. of Justice (2007).
28 Helfer, Laurence R., Overlegalizing Human Rights: International Relations Theory and the Commonwealth Caribbean Backlash Against Human Rights Regimes, 102 Colum. L. Rev. 1832 (2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
29 Mejía-Lemos, Diego Germán, Venezuela’s Denunciation of the American Convention on Human Rights, 17 ASIL Insights (2013)Google Scholar.
30 Ciurlizza, Javier, Searching for an Exit: Latin America and Venezuela, In Pursuit of Peace Blog, Int’l Crisis Group (Mar. 11, 2014)Google Scholar.
31 Nathan, Laurie, The Disbanding of the SADC Tribunal: A Cautionary Tale, 35 Hum. Rts. Q. 870 (2013)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
32 Raab, Dominic, Strasbourg in the Dock: Prisoner Voting, Human Rights & The Case for Democracy (2011)Google Scholar.
33 Press Ass’n, Cameron: I’d Withdraw from Human Rights Convention ‘to Keep UK Safe’, The Guardian (Sept. 29, 2013)Google Scholar.
34 Barrett, David, ‘Strasbourg not superior to British courts’ Says Former Senior Judge, Telegraph (Dec. 4, 2013)Google Scholar.
35 Council of Europe High level Conference on the Future of the European Court of Human Rights, Brighton, U.K., Apr. 19-20, 2012, Brighton Declaration (Apr. 2012).
36 Helfer, Laurence R., Redesigning the European Court of Human Rights: Embeddedness as a Deep Structural Principle of the European Human Rights Regime, 19 EUR. J. Int’l L. 125 (2008)Google Scholar.
37 Helfer, Laurence R., The Burdens and Benefits of Brighton, 1 ESIL Reflections (June 8, 2012)Google Scholar.
38 Comm. on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Report Guaranteeing the Authority and Effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights, Eur. Parl. Ass. AS/Jur (2011) 44 (Nov. 4, 2011).
39 See African Court on Human and People’s Rights.
40 Abdelgawad, Elisabeth Lambert, The Execution of the Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights: Towards a Non-coercive and Participatory Model of Accountability, 69 Zaörv 471 (2009)Google Scholar.
41 See Russia, Press Country Profile, European Ct. of Human Rights (last updated July 2016).
42 Reid, Graeme, ‘Traditional Values’ Code for Human Rights Abuse?, Human Rights Watch (Oct. 17, 2012)Google Scholar.
43 Johnson, Paul, ‘Homosexual Propaganda’ Laws in the Russian Federation: Are They in Violation of the European Convention on Human Rights?, 3 Russian L.J. 37 (2015)Google Scholar.
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