12
Oct
2026
Italy: the President takes part in an event with the Venice Commission and gives a speech at the University of Padua
From 8 to 9 October, Mattias Guyomar, the President of the Court, Gilberto Felici, the judge elected in respect of San Marino and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court, visited Italy.
While there, they participated in a conference held at the University of Padua entitled “The ECHR from the inside: the experience of the Judges and the Registry” and took part in an exchange of views with the Venice Commission, chaired by Marta Cartabia, on the subject of access to justice. The President also delivered an address, as guest of honour, at the opening of the 148th Plenary Session of the Venice Commission.
In that address, on 9 October, the President emphasised that exchanges between the two institutions enriched their respective work and fostered a process of “cross-fertilisation”.
“While the Venice Commission and the Court each have their own role and place, they share a common mission: to ensure that democracy, the rule of law and human rights are practical, effective and dynamic principles that benefit all. Our actions are complementary and guided by our shared values,” the President stated.
On 8 October, he also took part in the “Crossed Perspectives on Access to Justice: Dialogue between the President of the European Court of Human Rights and the Venice Commission” event in Venice, during which he highlighted the Court’s recent case-law that illustrated each of the criteria in the Venice Commission’s 2025 Updated Rule of Law Checklist.
During the same event, the Deputy Registrar delivered opening remarks, and Judge Felici spoke about the issue of the protection of lawyers and the relationship between lawyers and judges.
On the morning of 8 October, at the “The ECHR from the inside: the experience of the Judges and the Registry” conference at the University of Padua, the President, Judge Felici and the Deputy Registrar addressed the following topics, respectively: the way in which the Court applies and interprets the Convention in the light of present-day conditions in accordance with the living-instrument doctrine, the role of the national judge at the Court, and the cooperation between judges and the Registry in the processing of applications.
Court President in Vatican City for summit on “Judges, climate litigation and human rights”
On 6 and 7 October 2026, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, accompanied by the judge elected in respect of Portugal, Ana Maria Guerra Martins, participated in a summit on Judges, climate litigation and human rights in Vatican City, which brought together judges from national superior courts around the world, as well as from international courts.
In his intervention, President Guyomar provided a comparative analysis of the climate-related case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, the International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He noted that the Court had developed its case-law on climate change within a framework of shared responsibility, drawing on scientific, political and judicial consensus, and highlighted the convergence of judicial approaches that has emerged following the 2024 rulings, namely the cases of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others, and Carême v. France.
He further stressed that climate change and environmental degradation directly affect the enjoyment of human rights, including those of vulnerable groups, and noted that the convergence of judicial approaches around the world demonstrates that this global challenge knows no borders, affects everyone, and requires joint action for the protection of future generations.
President and Vice-President participate in international conference in Montenegro
On 2 October 2026, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, and the Vice-President of the Court and judge elected in respect of Montenegro, Ivana Jelić, participated in the international conference On the Constitution, State, and Democracy, held in Tivat, Montenegro.
In his keynote address to participants, including presidents and judges from constitutional courts across Europe and representatives of the two European courts, President Guyomar focused on the common, universal values at the heart of the two European projects: the Council of Europe and the European Union.
“Both put the human being at the heart of the system of protection – by enshrining individual rights, by obliging States to uphold them, and by subjecting them to collective enforcement. And both look towards a shared and ‘peaceful future’ based on fundamental rights and freedoms which are ‘the foundation of justice and peace in the world’. This is more important than ever with an active war within Europe’s borders. A war that is getting ever closer,” said the Court President.
President Guyomar also highlighted that these two European projects are developed hand in hand with national apex courts.
“Together with domestic judiciaries and in full respect of the principles of subsidiarity and shared responsibility, the Strasbourg Court continues to ensure, as ‘a Court for all’, the effective protection of the human rights of hundreds of millions of individuals across Europe.”
Following the opening remarks, three panel discussions took place. Vice-President Jelić moderated a panel on “Amendments to the Constitution in the Function of European Integration: Legal Implications and Challenges of the Transfer of Sovereignty to the European Union”, while President Guyomar moderated a panel on “The Use of AI Tools in Constitutional Adjudication: Support or Threat to Constitutional Court Independence – Perspectives, Risks, and Ethical Dilemmas”.
Official visit by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco
On 1 October 2026, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, visited the Court. He was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Monaco and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Isabelle Berro Amadeï, and the Secretary of State for Justice, Samuel Vuelta Simon. President Mattias Guyomar, Sébastien Biancheri, judge elected in respect of Monaco, and the Registrar of the Court, Marialena Tsirli, received the H.S.H. Prince Albert II for a walking tour of the Court.
During the visit, H.S.H. Prince Albert II visited the Court’s hearing rooms, the mail office, and the library, as well as the René Cassin Room and the Helga Pedersen Room, which host permanent exhibitions dedicated to these two important figures.
He concluded his visit with an exchange with the Court’s Bureau in the Luzius Wildhaber Room.
Italy: the President takes part in an event with the Venice Commission and gives a speech at the University of Padua
From 8 to 9 October, Mattias Guyomar, the President of the Court, Gilberto Felici, the judge elected in respect of San Marino and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court, visited Italy.
While there, they participated in a conference held at the University of Padua entitled “The ECHR from the inside: the experience of the Judges and the Registry” and took part in an exchange of views with the Venice Commission, chaired by Marta Cartabia, on the subject of access to justice. The President also delivered an address, as guest of honour, at the opening of the 148th Plenary Session of the Venice Commission.
In that address, on 9 October, the President emphasised that exchanges between the two institutions enriched their respective work and fostered a process of “cross-fertilisation”.
“While the Venice Commission and the Court each have their own role and place, they share a common mission: to ensure that democracy, the rule of law and human rights are practical, effective and dynamic principles that benefit all. Our actions are complementary and guided by our shared values,” the President stated.
On 8 October, he also took part in the “Crossed Perspectives on Access to Justice: Dialogue between the President of the European Court of Human Rights and the Venice Commission” event in Venice, during which he highlighted the Court’s recent case-law that illustrated each of the criteria in the Venice Commission’s 2025 Updated Rule of Law Checklist.
During the same event, the Deputy Registrar delivered opening remarks, and Judge Felici spoke about the issue of the protection of lawyers and the relationship between lawyers and judges.
On the morning of 8 October, at the “The ECHR from the inside: the experience of the Judges and the Registry” conference at the University of Padua, the President, Judge Felici and the Deputy Registrar addressed the following topics, respectively: the way in which the Court applies and interprets the Convention in the light of present-day conditions in accordance with the living-instrument doctrine, the role of the national judge at the Court, and the cooperation between judges and the Registry in the processing of applications.
Court President in Vatican City for summit on “Judges, climate litigation and human rights”
On 6 and 7 October 2026, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, accompanied by the judge elected in respect of Portugal, Ana Maria Guerra Martins, participated in a summit on Judges, climate litigation and human rights in Vatican City, which brought together judges from national superior courts around the world, as well as from international courts.
In his intervention, President Guyomar provided a comparative analysis of the climate-related case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, the International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He noted that the Court had developed its case-law on climate change within a framework of shared responsibility, drawing on scientific, political and judicial consensus, and highlighted the convergence of judicial approaches that has emerged following the 2024 rulings, namely the cases of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others, and Carême v. France.
He further stressed that climate change and environmental degradation directly affect the enjoyment of human rights, including those of vulnerable groups, and noted that the convergence of judicial approaches around the world demonstrates that this global challenge knows no borders, affects everyone, and requires joint action for the protection of future generations.
Judicial activities
08/10/26
Measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court are decided in connection with proceedings before the Court, without prejudging any subsequent decisions on the admissibility or merits of the case.
08/10/26
Remedy introduced for complaints about conditions of detention was effective.
The ECHR has declared inadmissible the application in the case of Manavidis v. Greece.
On 27 October 2022 Article 6A of the Prisons Code entered into force in Greece, establishing a dedicated judicial remedy in respect of detention conditions. The applicant lodged two appeals under the new remedy. The first was dismissed as unfounded in 2023, while the second was partly upheld. His case concerned the Court’s first assessment of the remedy.
The Court found that Article 6A combined both preventive and compensatory forms of redress, which operated in a complementary manner and afforded a real and practical opportunity to obtain appropriate and sufficient redress for conditions of detention incompatible with the Convention. The remedy was effective in both law and practice. The applicant had made use of that remedy which had enabled him to obtain adequate and sufficient redress. His complaint concerning the lack of an effective remedy to complain of the inadequate conditions of detention was rejected as manifestly ill-founded.
- Press release
- Press release (in Greek)
08/10/26
Severed family ties between mother and child highlight systemic flaws in juvenile-justice and foster-care systems in Italy.
In the case of L.Z. and D.Z. v. Italy, the Court held that there had been a violation of the right to respect for family life.
The case concerned the severance of the relationship between a biological mother and her child, who had been abandoned on a pavement at birth by his father. Although the mother had taken steps to have the child returned to her, the Italian authorities had declared him abandoned and available for adoption and had then placed him in foster care in accordance with the expedited procedure. Subsequent court orders for the reunification of the mother and child had not been enforced. To date, the child has not been returned to his biological mother and decisions regarding contact arrangements have not been complied with.
The Court noted that the domestic courts had failed to take prompt, practical and appropriate measures to establish effective contact between the first applicant and the child. Then, for some five years, they had “tolerated” the lack of contact between the applicants and the non-enforcement of the decision ordering their reunification. The passage of time had in fact become the key factor in support of keeping the child in the foster family rather than returning him to his mother. That factor had given rise to a fait accompli: the severance of family ties between the first applicant and her child.
08/10/26
Disappearance of Estelle Mouzin: ECHR finds that French courts acknowledged deficiencies in justice system and compensated for resulting non-pecuniary damage.
The Court has declared inadmissible the application in the case of Mouzin v. France.
The case concerned the judicial investigation and proceedings in relation to the disappearance of the applicant’s 9-year-old daughter. Her body was never found. The Court’s decision was based both on the criminal conviction of Ms Olivier in 2023 and 2024 and on a 2025 judgment acknowledging the State’s gross negligence as a result of the defective operation of the public justice system.
06/10/26
Fair trial rights in proceedings concerning fines for fishing in Slovenian waters
In the case of Makovac and Latin v. Slovenia the Court held that there had been no violation of the right to a fair trial in respect of the first applicant and that there had been a violation in respect of the second applicant.
The case concerned Croatian commercial fishing workers’ complaints about the proceedings concerning fines against them for illegally entering and fishing in Slovenian waters. They argued that there had been a breach of their defence rights in the minor offence proceedings against them, in particular that there had been no hearings in their cases.
The ECHR found that it had been legitimate for the Slovenian courts to do without an oral hearing to convict first applicant. Her conviction had been based on, among other things, photographs with two recognisable individuals which she could have challenged. Second applicant’s conviction had, however, been based on his being identified by a fisheries inspector and unspecified social media posts. An oral hearing would have been essential to put that evidence to the test.
- Press release
- Press release (in Slovenian)
Press releases on other judgments and decisions
06/10/26
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