PDF - European Court of Human Rights - Annual Report 2020 (2021)

The Annual Report of the European Court of Human Rights provides information for the year 2020 on the organisation, activities and case-law of the Court.

In 2020 the Court celebrated the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. Signed in Rome on 4 November 1950, it was the first instrument to crystallise and give binding effect to the rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Forty-seven countries have now undertaken to secure the Convention rights and fundamental freedoms not just to their own nationals – over 830 million people – but to everyone within their jurisdiction, including non-Europeans. Also in 2020, the Human Rights Building celebrated its 25th anniversary, which was marked by the publication of hitherto unpublished photos of the building.

This Annual Report includes a foreword by the President of the Court, a summary of the main events that marked the year, the speeches delivered at the opening of the judicial year, an overview of the case-law, the year’s judicial activities and the statistical data and tables of violations by member State for the year 2020. The report outlines the Court’s knowledge-sharing activities and provides an update on the Superior Courts Network. Lastly, it sets out the measures taken by the Registry to deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.