The two countries with the highest number of applications to the European Court of Human Rights in 2021 were again Russia and Turkey.
According to the ECHR Report, in 2021, most applications were made regarding violations of rights against Russia and Turkey. Russia and Turkey were followed by Ukraine, Romania, Italy and Poland. Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights, pointed out that 75 percent of the cases from Turkey are related to the coup attempt.
The President of the ECtHR, Spano, evaluated the 2021 balance sheet of the ECtHR and the ECtHR Statistical Analysis Report at the press conference he held in Strasbourg. Stating that Europe has undergone an unprecedented transformation in terms of human rights and the rule of law, Spano noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has deepened this situation.
Spano stated that the ECtHR decided more than 36 thousand applications in 2021, which is 5 percent lower than the previous year.
The number of ECtHR Grand Chamber or Chamber judgments reached 428, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2020. While the number of applications pending at the end of 2020 was 62 thousand, this figure increased by 13 percent to 70 thousand 150 at the end of 2021. 70% of pending applications concern 4 countries: Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine and Romania. Spano announced that this year, as every year, Russia holds the record for the country for which an application has been made.
70% of Turkey applications are related to the coup attempt
Russia, which ranks first with 17 thousand applications, is followed by Turkey with 15 thousand 250 applications, Ukraine with 11 thousand 370 applications, Romania with 5 thousand 690 applications and Italy with 3 thousand 646 applications. According to the ECHR 2021 Report, 5 countries account for 75 percent of all applications to the court.
Evaluating the 2021 statistics, President of the ECHR Spano said, “Russia became the country with the highest number of applications with 17 thousand applications, increasing by 24 percent compared to last year. Turkey comes next with 15 thousand 250 applications. There is a 30 percent increase compared to 2020. These two countries are Ukraine and Romania is watching,” he said.
When asked about the reasons for the increase in cases from Russia and Turkey, he said, “70% of the cases from Turkey are cases related to the coup attempt. The 30% increase reflects the arrival of the cases that ended in the national courts on this issue.” Spano stated that the 24 percent increase in Russia is mostly due to the denial of the right to demonstrate and march.
The ECHR delivered 78 decisions covering 567 different applications regarding Turkey in 2021. Of these 78 decisions, 76 identified at least one violation of the human rights convention. According to the ECHR statistics, in 2021, 31 violations of freedom of expression, 29 rights to freedom and security and 22 rights to a fair trial were detected.
Osman Kavala question
Responding to the questions that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe could initiate a “violation procedure” against Turkey on February 2 due to Turkey’s failure to implement the ECHR decision on businessman Osman Kavala, President Spano said, “Of course I do not want to talk about the Kavala case, I want to remind the general rule. Last year’s press “As I said at the meeting, governments are obliged to implement the decisions of the courts of which they are members and to which they have signed. In general terms, I am speaking for our 47 members. We will see what decision the Committee of Ministers will take,” he said.
When asked what kind of process the Committee will take after its decision, Spano said, “In general, we have only one example similar to the Kavala case. The case of Mamadof (Azerbaijan). If the Committee of Ministers decides on the Kavala case, of course the court will do its part. “It’s hard to say how long it will take. It will happen as quickly as possible. This year, of course… it’s a matter of a few months.”
Impact cases app
Noting that they have added a new case-handling strategy, the “impact cases” strategy, to the “prioritization policy” implemented since 2009 to expedite the processing and resolution of important, serious and urgent cases, highlighting important issues for the applicant and the respondent state or for the development of the contracting system in general. stressed that they brought it up. Spano stated that as of January 1, 2022, more than 500 cases fell into this category and included cases related to freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, wiretapping and surveillance of journalists, cases related to the pandemic, discrimination against sexual minorities, and rights and freedoms.
Emphasizing that the main purpose of the European Convention on Human Rights is to face the test of difficult times, despite the serious difficulties that reflect the situation of the European legal field or the world in general, Spano, President of the ECHR, said, “It is now more vital than ever to protect the principles of democratic government and the rule of law at all costs. “Let us never forget: A world without these fundamental principles is a world that is no longer free,” he said.