ECHR
The European Court of Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was drawn up within the Council of Europe. It was opened for signature in Rome on 4 November 1950 and entered into force in September 1953. Taking as their starting point the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the framers of the Convention sought to pursue the aims of the Council of Europe through the maintenance and further realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In 1998 a single full-time Court replaced the existing part-time Court and Commission. Since then the case-load has grown substantially every year and 80.000 cases are currently waiting before the court.
Iceland ratified the European Convention on Human Rights on 29 June 1953. It recognised the right of individual petition on 29 March 1955. - The judge for Iceland to the European Court of Human Rights is David THÓR BJÖRGVINSSON (as from 1 November 2004).
