ECHR and Strasbourg court procedures

Question 1

Purdy v DPP (2008)

Answer 1

The position on when someone would be prosecuted for assisting someone to die was not sufficiently clear to be “prescribed by law” - DPP ordered to create guidelines

Question 2

Bridges v Chief Constable South Wales (2020)

Answer 2

Facial Recognition Technology could be used by the police, but it had to be in accordance with the law

Question 3

Article 15 ECHR

Answer 3

Derogations can be made at times of “war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation”, to the extent strictly necessary in the situation

No derogation from Articles 2 (except for deaths lawfully arising from war), 3, 4 or 7

State must inform and update Council of Europe of measures

Question 4

How many judges are there in the Strasbourg court in total (not on any one case)?

Answer 4

There shall be a number of judges on the Court equal to the number of High Contracting Parties (Article 20 ECHR)

Question 5

How are Strasbourg judges chosen?

Answer 5

Each state nominates three candidates, and the CoE Parliamentary Assembly votes on them (Article 22)

Question 6

How long are judges’ terms in Strasbourg?

Answer 6

Nine years

Question 7

How many judges in a Grand Chamber case?

Answer 7

17

(from Article 26)

Question 8

How many judges in a Chamber case?

Answer 8

7

(from Article 26)