ECHR Interventions

On 1 September 2010, UNHCR made what is being termed as an "unprecedented appearance" before the European Court of Human Rights. The case being heard was M.S.S. v. Belgium and Greece, and the summary of its facts are presented in this press release. In essence, an Afghan national entered the European Union via Greece and lodged an application for asylum in Belgium. Referencing the Dublin II regulation, the Belgian authorities claimed that Belgium was not the country responsible for examining the asylum application, and returned the claimant to Greece. A webcast of the hearing can be accessed on the ECHR site.

Learn more about UNHCR's concerns regarding Greece's asylum system and deficient safeguards against refoulement. See also the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights' oral intervention, which also focused on issues with Greece's asylum procedures, and underlined problematic reception and detention conditions for asylum seekers. For past reports on conditions in Greece, browse through earlier postings on this blog.

To learn more about the European Court's rulings in asylum cases, see:

• European Court of Human Rights intervenes in 34 new cases (DRC, Sept. 2010) [access]
• Strasbourg Observers Blog [access] (select "asylum seekers" from the "search by topic menu")
• "Litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and Domestic Implementation: Does the European Convention Promote the Rights of Immigrants and Asylum Seekers?," European Public Law, vol. 16, no. 3 (September 2010) [abstract]

Earlier ECHR-related posts can be browsed here.

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