Have you known how the Council of Europe contributes to protecting and promoting human rights across the continent? How does the European Court of Human Rights function? Which rights does the European Convention on Human Rights protect?

The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is also known as the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. On 4 November 2020 the international community marked the 70th anniversary of adoption of the ECHR. Since then this international legal instrument has served as a kind of constitution, safeguarding fundamental and inalienable human rights guarantees.

Today the Council of Europe has published the book “An introduction to the European Convention on Human Rights” in Ukrainian. The Book is also available in other languages of the Council of Europe.

The Book explains that the right to life, prohibition of torture, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression, the right to marry, and other rights are protected by the ECHR. All the member states of the Council of Europe have a legal duty to respect human rights and ensure that they apply to everyone in their jurisdiction.

The author of the Book, using specific examples, illustrates some of the key issues of human rights in Europe, the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights and its various protocols, and some of the cases that illuminate how these rights affect people in practice and strengthen the protection of the rights of individuals vis-à-vis the state.

lastly, the author provides comments on how human rights in Europe may expand and be further strengthened in the near future.