Is the European Order of Human Rights Defenseless?

Abstract

PhDs, Post-Docs, professors as well as interested external auditors, are cordially invited to participate in and contribute to our seminar series titled: “Human Rights: Insights into Today’s Challenges” hosted by the Doctoral School of Law. The aim of the seminar is to have an in depth discussion on a different human rights issue in each seminar. Presentations of 15 to 20 minutes (or up to 30 minutes if we have two or more speakers) will be followed by an open group discussion.

Recent jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights on Article 17 and 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights raises the question whether the European human rights framework possesses sufficient institutional and normative capacity to respond to systemic democratic erosion and human rights backsliding. Cases involving politically motivated detention, selective prosecution, and the manipulation of criminal law reveal a pattern in which formal legality conceals ulterior governmental objectives aimed at weakening democratic institutions essential for the protection of fundamental rights. The workshop examines whether the European Convention on Human Rights contains adequate legal mechanisms to confront emerging threats to both democratic governance and the effective protection of human rights. It also reflects on the evolving (conservative) approach of established European democracies and its implications for the European consensus that shapes the standards of protection developed by the Strasbourg Court.

About the speaker

Dr Armen Harutyunyan is the Director of Human Rights Projects for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Rule of Law Empowerment (ROLE) Association and a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights, where he served from 2015 to 2025. He previously headed the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and served as Regional Representative for Central Asia at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Earlier, he held the office of Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Armenia and acted as Deputy Representative of Armenia to the European Commission for Democracy through Law. His academic and institutional experience includes serving as Rector of the Public Administration Academy of the Republic of Armenia, Legal Advisor to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, and Professor of Constitutional and International Law at Yerevan State University.

Language

English.

This is a free event. Registration is mandatory.

The seminars will be held during lunch time, sandwiches and water will be provided for registered participants. PhD students will be awarded 1 ECTS for attending 5 seminars and 1 ECTS for presenting in one of the seminars. Candidates for presenting a topic are very welcome to contact us.