The Protection of Human Rights under the ECHR in Central and Eastern Europe: The Case of the Republic of Moldova

Dorul, Olga (2025) The Protection of Human Rights under the ECHR in Central and Eastern Europe: The Case of the Republic of Moldova. EUROPEAN INTEGRATION STUDIES, 21 (2). pp. 31-70. ISSN 1588-6735

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Abstract

The present study is dedicated to evaluating the participation of the Republic of Moldova in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, better known as the European Convention on Human Rights. This convention established the most effective regional mechanism for the protection of human rights. The state granted its citizens the possibility of exercising the right to individual application before the European Court of Human Rights by ratifying the European Convention on Human Rights in July 1997. Since then, more than 17,000 applications have been submitted to the ECHR alleging that the Moldovan authorities have failed to comply with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights. In over 600 cases, the European Court of Human Rights has found violations of the obligations assumed by the Republic of Moldova upon ratifying the European Convention on Human Rights.In this article, we aim to address the Republic of Moldova’s participation in the European Convention on Human Rights in an evolutive manner. Thus, after establishing the historical context in which this regional treaty was ratified, we will describe the actions of the Council of Europe in the Republic of Moldova, identify the most important human rights treaties developed under the auspices of the Council of Europe that have been ratified by the Republic of Moldova, and strive to provide a comprehensive overview of the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights within the national legal order. Finally, this study explores several landmark cases in which the European Court of Human Rights has established general principles. These cases have led to substantive changes in the legal system of the Republic of Moldova. They illustrate how the Court’s jurisprudence has influenced national law-making and institutional reform, contributing to the consolidation of the rule of law and the alignment of domestic norms with European human rights standards.

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