European Parliamentary Assembly Reminds Members of Duty to Cooperate with European Court of Human Rights

On February 9, 2007, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to stop pressuring applicants to the European Court on Human Rights (ECHR) and urging the Court to take appropriate interim measure to protect applicants. The Committee’s resolution notes that all members of the ECHR have agreed not to hinder the rights of applicants to the Court, and express deep concern that a number of cases involving the alleged threatening, assaulting, or killing of applicants initiating ECHR cases have not been effectively investigated by national authorities. On the contrary, the Committee states that a significant number of cases show clear signs of official “whitewashing ... [more]