How to attend a hearing

Public hearings
 

Hearings at the European Court of Human Rights are public (private hearings are only held in exceptional cases). Hearings last approximately 90 minutes with English and French interpretation.

If you wish to attend a public hearing, please contact the Visitors’ Unit by the electronic form. The minimum age to attend a hearing is 18 years.

If a hearing is cancelled or adjourned, the Visitors’ Unit will endeavour to inform groups of visitors as soon as possible (see calendar of scheduled hearings).
 

Instructions for visitors groups
 

• Visitors are advised to be extremely punctual. Visitors arriving after the start of oral submissions will be refused access to the courtroom, in order to avoid any disruption to the hearing.

• Groups of visitors: the number of participants should not exceed that stated in the list furnished to the Visitors’ Unit beforehand.

• Chamber hearings begin at 9.00 a.m. and Grand Chamber hearings at 9.15 a.m. sharp.

• Visitors must arrive at the main entrance of the Human Rights Building at 8.15 a.m.; each visitor should bring his or her passport, identity card or driving licence.

• No telephones or laptop computers may be used during the hearing and visitors must not film or take photographs of the hearing. No food or drink may be brought into the courtroom.

• Visitors are requested not to enter or leave the courtroom at inappropriate times and to remain in their seats until the hearing has ended.

• Persons attending hearings should remain seated and silent. The President may order the removal of anyone perturbing the proceedings.

• Visitors are asked to wear appropriate dress.

• For security reasons, visitors will only be given access to those parts of the building that are open to the public, namely the entrance hall and Courtroom, unless they have obtained special permission from the Visitors’ Unit to visit other parts. Visitors will not be given access to the cafeteria.

• The building does not have a left-luggage office and visitors are therefore advised to leave their luggage at their hotel or in the coach.

Please ensure that these instructions are followed.