Tag: European Court of Human Rights
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The European Court of Human Rights adopts amendments to Rules of Court on legal representation
in I’m A PersonOn 7 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights has adopted final amendments to Rules 36 and 44 on legal representation. This adopted Rules are a modified version of the original proposal where the Court also referred to “vulnerable applicants” or persons deprived of legal capacity for whom the Court may have requested the…
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UN CRPD Committee Adopts General Comment No. 11 on Political and Public Participation
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has issued General Comment No. 11 on the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life (Advanced Unedited Version), adopted on 27 August 2026. The General Comment is intended to facilitate the realisation of Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of…
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15 NGOs and Law Offices Call for Review of Amendments to Rules of the European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) is planning to amend Rules 36 and 44 of the Rules of Court which concern, in the words of the Court, representation of “vulnerable adults”. In response to these proposed amendments, Validity with other 14 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and two law offices submitted a comprehensive response urging further consultation to ensure that vulnerable applicants retain their right…
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The right to be heard of a woman with disabilities is reinforced by the European Court
On 9 December 2025, the European Court of Human Rights delivered an important judgment in the case of H.H. v. Finland regarding the right to an oral hearing in legal cases challenging involuntary psychiatric commitment and treatments imposed without the person’s consent. The case involved a 52-year-old woman with psychosocial disabilities who was involuntarily placed multiple times in a psychiatric hospital in Finland. The applicant appealed each commitment decision in the…
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Committee of Ministers calls on Hungary to implement Validity Foundation on behalf of T.J. v. Hungary judgment of the European Court
In October 2024, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a groundbreaking judgment against Hungary. It found that Hungary had violated the right to life of a woman with disabilities who had lived for a long term locked in the notorious Topház institution – one of many across the country where over an estimated 22,000…
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Landmark Ruling: European Court Finds Moldova failed to Protect Woman with Disabilities from Servitude
First-ever European Court decision on servitude of persons with disabilities reveals systemic failures in Moldova’s deinstitutionalisation practices The European Court of Human Rights has delivered a groundbreaking judgment concerning the right of a woman with disabilities not to be held in servitude and forced labour. The Court found that Moldova had violated the rights of…
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Seasonal Appeal 2024
In 2024, our client Victor achieved a major victory at the European Court of Human Rights. His experience of torture and discrimination as a young person in Moldova was recognised as a grave human rights violation by the highest court in Europe. The judgment represents a major step forward for Victor and others in similar…
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Representing Victims of Torture with Disabilities
A key cross-cutting objective for Validity is to contribute to the global push to end all forms of torture and ill-treatment faced by persons with disabilities. In this context, Validity works with partners to represent numerous victims with disabilities in Europe and Africa, with the strategic goals of ending disability-specific forms of torture, enhancing protections…
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The European Court finds once again that Bulgaria has breached the right to vote of persons with disabilities
On 5 July 2022, The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Mr. Genchev’s right to vote was infringed because a director of a psychiatric institution made it impossible for him to vote in the Bulgarian legislative elections. On 12 May 2005 Mr Genchev went to the Radnevo Psychiatric hospital for a voluntary treatment. During…
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Moldova: Validity calls on European Court of Human Rights to recognise forced abortion and sterilisation as torture
Validity has intervened before the European Court of Human Rights (“the Court”) in the case G.M. and others v. the Republic of Moldova. Our intervention highlights that forced sterilisation and forced abortion are forms of torture and ill-treatment, and constitute systemic discrimination against women with disabilities. We also explained that legal systems condone these acts…