European Convention on Human Rights

European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights, more fully, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, a charter designed to further the goals of the European Council. Its members accept that citizens should enjoy human rights. Civil and political freedoms are enumerated – the right to life; freedom from torture or inhuman treatment; freedom from slavery and forced labour; the right to liberty and freedom from detention save in accord with the law; the right to fair administration of justice; respect for privacy and the family; the right to peaceful assembly; the right not to be discriminated against. Over the years protocols have added new rights – the protection of property; a parent's right to choose education; a right to free elections; liberty from prison for inability to meet a contract; free movement; the right not to be expelled from one's natural home. Many of the rights are subject to provisos on the basis of public order, public security and the need to guard the freedom of others. The Convention is upheld in the European Court of Human Rights. The law now applies in the UK as a result of the Scotland Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998 (from October 2000). Accordingly, decisions of the Court will now be influential and in due course applicable in the UK. Recent examples involving the UK are on peaceful protest (Steel and Others v. UK [1998] TLR 575); on the right to the privacy of one's home (McLeod v. UK [1998] TLR 577); chastisement of children as an aspect of cruel or degrading punishment (A. v. UK [1998] TLR 578); on freedom of association (Ahmed and Others v . UK [1998] TLR 581); on the right to a fair hearing in court (Osman v. UK [1998] TLR 681).

Collins dictionary of law. . 2001.


European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights ECHR)
A Convention containing Articles which guarantee a number of basic human rights. They include the:
• Right to a fair trial (Article 6).
• Respect for privacy (Article 8).
• Prohibition on discrimination (Article 14).
• Freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association (including the right to join a trade union) (Article 11).
• Peaceful enjoyment of possessions (Article 1 of the First Protocol).
The UK ratified the Convention in 1951 but, unlike most European states, it did not incorporate it into UK law until implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998 in 2000. Individuals in the UK can enforce their rights under the Convention by taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, or they can now enforce their rights in UK courts under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Practical Law Dictionary. Glossary of UK, US and international legal terms. . 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • European Convention on Human Rights — ECHR redirects here. For the Court which enforces the Convention, see European Court of Human Rights. Not to be confused with European Convention (1999 2000) or Convention on the Future of Europe. European Convention on Human Rights The… …   Wikipedia

  • European Convention on Human Rights — European Con|ven|tion on Hu|man Rights, the an official agreement signed by the UK and most other European countries, in which they promise to allow every citizen their human rights, such as the right to be free, to express their political… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 — The European Convention of Human Rights Act 2003 is an act of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into Irish law. The Act is an example of an interpretive incorporation of the Convention… …   Wikipedia

  • European Convention on Human Rights —    A document drawn up by the Council of Europe which was signed by 15 members in November 1950 and came into force in 1953. Altogether, it has 66 articles and since its original implementation 11 protocols have been added. The language used in… …   Glossary of UK Government and Politics

  • Territorial scope of European Convention on Human Rights — This table illustrates the extent to which the substantive provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols are ratified (and therefore in force) for territories under the control of the members of the Council of Europe …   Wikipedia

  • European Charter on Human Rights — may refer to:*The European Convention on Human Rights adopted by the Council of Europe which came into force in 1950, protected by the European Court of Human Rights *The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union which has some limited… …   Wikipedia

  • European Court of Human Rights — a body charged with implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. As a result of recent reforms, an application is now initially considered by a committee of three judges and may be declared inadmissible immediately and without a… …   Law dictionary

  • European Commission of Human Rights — was a special tribunal.From 1954 to the entry into force of Protocol 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, individuals did not have direct access to the European Court of Human Rights; they had to apply to the Commission , which if it… …   Wikipedia

  • European Commission on Human Rights — the now defunct body that implemented the European Convention on Human Rights. Collins dictionary of law. W. J. Stewart. 2001 …   Law dictionary

  • European Court of Human Rights — Not to be confused with the European Court of Justice, the highest court of the European Union. European Court of Human Rights Established 1959 (initially) 1998 (permanent) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”