Human Rights Protection under the European Convention on Human Rights and Eastern Europe: Ukraine

Metelskyi, Ihor (2025) Human Rights Protection under the European Convention on Human Rights and Eastern Europe: Ukraine. EUROPEAN INTEGRATION STUDIES, 21 (2). pp. 367-396. ISSN 1588-6735

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Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the issue of human rights protection in Ukraine in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as well as on the basis of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The author examines the historical development of human rights and their protection in Ukraine, based on the main legal acts in force in different historical periods of Ukraine's development. The relations between Ukraine and the Council of Europe in terms of human rights protection were studied. The author analyses international legal instruments, in particular, individual conventions of the Council of Europe on human rights to which Ukraine is a party (in particular, the main focus is on the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) and their place in the system of Ukrainian legislation, and also examines the issues of national implementation (process and time of accession / succession / ratification) of the Council of Europe conventions on human rights. The author highlights how the obligations to protect human rights arising from the ECHR are reflected in the Constitution of Ukraine. The author analyses the main legislative processes in Ukraine due to the ECHR, as well as the most significant cases considered by the ECtHR against Ukraine, their main points, and how the decisions on the latter affected Ukrainian legislation and human rights and their protection in general. The author concludes that the Council of Europe conventions, in particular the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, have a significant impact on the protection of human rights in Ukraine, as they set common European standards that contribute to the improvement of national legislation and practice. In addition, the ECHR guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms such as the right to life, liberty and security of person, fair trial, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and protection from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. Ukrainian citizens have the right to apply to the European Court of Human Rights in case of violation of their rights guaranteed by the ECHR. This provides an additional level of protection when all national remedies have been exhausted. ECHR judgments against Ukraine often become the basis for changes in national legislation and court practice to bring them into line with the standards of the Convention. Ukraine's ratification of Council of Europe conventions and implementation of their provisions is an important tool for improving the human rights protection system, raising standards of democracy and the rule of law, and adapting national legislation to European norms.

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