LAW-2407 Human Rights Protection in Europe
This seminar offers an introduction to the protection of human rights in Europe. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), implemented by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), will be placed at the center of discussion. The seminar begins with a general introduction to the ECtHR, to the rights protected, the special interpretation methods developed by the ECtHR, and the execution of the Court's judgments. Following this introduction, a number of selected topics will be dealt with through the discussion of concrete cases, focusing on certain particularly vulnerable groups, such as detainees, minorities, immigrants and refugees, women, children, LGBT, and persons with disabilities. Further discussion will concentrate on other topical issues of modern society, such as the rights of individuals suspected of being involved in international terrorism, the protection of individuals against police violence and selected questions of freedom of religion, freedom of expression and the right to private life (privacy), in particular regarding internet and new technologies. Comparisons with ongoing debates in the USA, such as the protection of minorities against police violence or the right to peaceful gathering and assembly, will enrich the debates.