The European Court of Human Rights is an independent international court which examines complaints about violations of human rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols. The Court sits in the French city of Strasbourg.
It works on the basis of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which is also known as the European Convention on Human Rights. You can find the basic provisions on the types of human rights violations the Court will examine, how the Court works and what the rules are for sending an application to the Court within this Convention and the Rules of Court.
The Court is part of the international organization – the Council of Europe, which is not part of the European Union, but is a separate organisation. The Council of Europe sits in Strasbourg and its main task is to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Although the Court was established with the assistance of the Council of Europe, it is an independent court, which examines complaints about possible human rights violations in those countries which have ratified the European Convention on Human rights.