Selection of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights relevant for the protection of national minorities

The Council of Europe safeguards the protection of national minorities through various mechanisms. Besides the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, designed specifically for that purpose, the European Convention on Human Rights plays a significant role in this regard. Through its jurisprudence, the European Court of Human Rights has substantially advanced the legal protection of national minorities. This manifests, inter alia, in the mutual influence between the Court and the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention that is evidenced in several judgments of the Court and opinions of the Advisory Committee. The following selection provides an overview of the most influential cases before the Court in this field, including in respect of states which are not parties to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Right to Self-Identification

• Tasev v. North Macedonia, judgment of 16 May 2019 Legal summary
• Molla Sali v. Greece, judgment of 19 December 2018 Legal summary
• Ciubotaru v. Moldova, judgment of 27 April 2010 Legal summary

Prohibition of Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

• Balázs v. Hungary, judgment of 20 October 2015

Respect for Home

• Winterstein and Others v. France, judgment of 17 October 2013 Legal summary
• Connors v. the United Kingdom, judgment of 27 May 2004 Legal summary
• Chapman v. the United Kingdom, judgment of 18 January 2001 Legal summary
• Buckley v. the United Kingdom, judgment of 25 September 1996 Legal summary

Right to Private Life

• Paketova and Others v. Bulgaria, judgment of 4 October 2022, Legal Summary
• Budinova and Chaprazov v. Bulgaria, judgment of 16 February 2021 Legal summary
• Kurić and Others v. Slovenia, judgment of 26 June 2012 Legal summary

Freedom of expression

• Pavel Ivanov v. Russia, decision of 20 February 2007 Legal summary

Freedom of Religion

• Masaev v. Republic of Moldova, judgment of 12 May 2009 Legal Summary
• Cha'are Shalom Ve Tsedek v. France, judgment of 27 June 2000 Legal Summary

Freedom of Assembly and Association

• Association of People of Silesian Nationality (in liquidation) v. Poland, judgment of 14 March 2024
• United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden and Others v. Bulgaria, judgment of 16 January 2006
• Gorzelik and Others v. Poland, judgment of 17 February 2004 Legal Summary

Right to the Peaceful Enjoyment of Possessions

• Muñoz Díaz v. Spain, judgment of 8 December 2009 Legal summary

Right to Education

• Szolcsán v. Hungary, judgment of 30 March 2023
• Elmazova and Others v. North Macedonia, judgment of 13 December 2022 Legal summary
• Catan and Others v. the Republic of Moldova and Russia, judgment of 19 October 2012 Legal Summary
• Oršuš and Others v. Croatia, judgment of 16 March 2010 Legal Summary
• D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic, judgment of 13 November 2007 Legal Summary

Right to free elections

• Bakirdzi and E.C. v. Hungary, judgment of 10 November 2022 Legal Summary
• Sejdić and Finci v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, judgment of 22 December 2009 Legal Summary
• Aziz v. Cyprus, decision of 22 June 2004 Legal summary

General prohibition of discrimination

• Kovačević v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, judgment of 29 August 2023^* Legal summary
• Ádám and Others v. Romania, judgment of 13 October 2020 Legal Summary
• Pilav v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, judgment of 9 June 2016 Legal Summary

^{* This case was referred to the Grand Chamber on 14 December 2023.}