On 17 September 2026, the judge elected in respect of Italy, Raffaele Sabato, met a group of representatives from the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank (“the ECB”). The group was led by the heads of unit, Laura Fabiani and Christine Hauner.

Judge Sabato gave a presentation on Regulation of banking and finance in the case-law of the ECHR. Anne Weber, senior legal advisor at GRECO (Group of States against Corruption), and Veronika Mets, head of unit at MONEYVAL (Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism), provided an overview of their fields of activity in the Council of Europe.

The session was concluded with a Q&A session.

On 17 September 2026, the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Mr Burak Ceyhan, visited the Court where he was received by President Mattias Guyomar, the judge elected in respect of Türkiye, Saadet Yüksel, and the Deputy Registrar, Abel Campos.

The President emphasised the importance of judicial independence and shared responsibility for protecting Convention rights, recognising Türkiye’s commitment to cooperation. Judge Yüksel commented on the high caseload in respect of Türkiye and the value of judicial dialogue. The Deputy Registrar mentioned the importance of ensuring efficiency in case processing.

• Country profile: Türkiye

On 16 September 2026, the Bulgarian President, Iliana Iotova, accompanied by the Minister of Justice, Nikolay Naydenov, visited the Court where they were received by President Mattias Guyomar, the judge elected in respect of Bulgaria, Diana Kovatcheva, and the Registrar, Marialena Tsirli.

President Iotova extended an invitation to President Guyomar to visit Bulgaria in 2027 to celebrate the 35^th anniversary of Bulgaria’s ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights.

• Video
• Country profile: Bulgaria

On 3 September 2026, the Vice-President of the Court, Arnfinn Bårdsen, received a delegation from the External Relations Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which paid a visit to the Court. Ambassador Catherine Cudré-Mauroux, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OECD, thanked the Vice-President for his welcome.

During the meeting, the Vice-President and the delegation exchanged views, among other things, on the crucial role of democracy and the rule of law as means of maintaining peace, stability and progress. They discussed current challenges to the democratic process, to the rules-based world order and to judicial independence. Vice-President Bårdsen also explained the Court’s role under the Convention system, illustrated by recent rulings from the Court’s Grand Chamber.

On 6 July 2026, a delegation of the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland, led by its President, Jacek Chlebny, visited the Court, where they had the opportunity to exchange with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar; the Vice President and judge elected in respect of Montenegro, Ivana Jelić; the judge elected in respect of San Marino, Gilberto Felici; the judge elected in respect of Sweden, Erik Wennerström; the judge elected in respect of Belgium, Frédéric Krenc; the judge elected in respect of Croatia, Davor Derenčinović; the judge elected in respect of Liechtenstein, Alain Chablais; the judge elected in respect of Latvia, Artūrs Kučs; the judge elected in respect of Poland, Anna Adamska Gallant; the Registrar, Marialena Tsirli; the Deputy Registrar, Abel Campos; and other Registry staff.

The discussions focused on fair trial standards and judicial independence; the review by national courts of the proportionality of limitations on rights and freedoms in the current geopolitical context; recent developments relating to migration; and the protection of the private and family life of same sex couples.

The President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, welcomed the participants and emphasised the importance of judicial solidarity and the vital dialogue between the Court and national courts. He recalled how, by defending judges’ freedom of expression in different country contexts, the Court worked to ensure that judges could fulfil their role as guardians of democracy and the rule of law. He further emphasised how the Court remained attentive to the legal and political realities in all Council of Europe member states, and stressed the need to protect the Court’s judicial independence.

• Speech by President Mattias Guyomar
• Country profile: Poland

On 1 July 2026 the UK Attorney General’s Youth Ambassadors visited the Court, where they had the opportunity to meet with Mattias Guyomar, the President of the Court, Hugh Mercer, the judge elected in respect of the United Kingdom, and members of the Registry.

The President commended the young Ambassadors for their work promoting the rule of law within their communities through positive and responsible use of social media. The Ambassadors explained how they engage their peers, emphasising that human rights, the rule of law, and democracy must be owned, not merely understood.

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On 29 June 2026, a delegation of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), a network that brings together National Human Rights Institutions across Europe, visited the Court. The Chair of ENNHRI, Louise Holck, and the Secretary General of the network, Debbie Kohner, met with the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, and the Registrar, Marialena Tsirli. Recalling that the Court is a pillar for peace, democracy, the rule of law, protecting human rights for all in Europe, discussions centred on the importance of National Human Rights Institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights and their support for the Court’s work.

The President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, took part in a series of meetings in Monaco on 25 June 2026, accompanied by the judge elected in respect of Monaco, Sébastien Biancheri, and the Registrar of the Court, Marialena Tsirli.

As part of the visit, the President attended an official lunch hosted by the Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, and had talks with the Government Counsellor for External Relations and Cooperation, Isabelle Berro‑Amadeï, the Secretary of State for Justice, Samuel Vuelta Simon, the President of the National Council, Thomas Brezzo, and the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Liberties and for Mediation, Marina Ceyssac.

The discussions focused on the priorities of Monaco’s Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, in particular its commitment to the European system of human rights protection and the events to be held under the Presidency to promote these priorities.

• Country profile: Monaco

On 25 June 2025 H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco held an audience in the Prince’s Palace with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar. Also in attendance were the judge elected in respect of Monaco, Sébastien Biancheri, and the Registrar of the Court, Marialena Tsirli.

The discussions focused on Monaco’s priorities for its current presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, in particular enhancing democratic resilience, combating financial crime and supporting young people.

The President also briefed H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco on the Court’s achievements under its own three priorities: efficiency, visibility and accountability. The President thanked Monaco for its unwavering support and its active commitment to the Convention system and the Court.

• Country profile: Monaco