21/09/2011 Legal Affairs and Human Rights
“Effective parliamentary supervision at the national level is important to ensure the implementation of Strasbourg Court judgments,” today said in Kyiv PACE Chairperson of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Christos Pourgourides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), in a conference on “The prevention of human rights violations” organised by Ukraine’s Justice Ministry.
“National parliaments which have not yet done so should set up strong procedures to ensure regular monitoring of all judgments which could potentially affect their countries’ respective legal orders,” he stressed. “Parliaments are uniquely placed to hold governments to account to ensure swift and effective implementation of Strasbourg Court judgments.”
Mr Pourgourides recalled that at the end of 2010 there were over 9900 judgments of the Strasbourg Court pending before the Committee of Ministers whose task is to supervise their execution – an increase of 14% on the previous year. The main problems, he said, continue to be excessive length of judicial proceedings, chronic non-enforcement of domestic judicial decisions, persons being killed and ill-treated by law enforcement officials coupled with a lack of effective investigation and unlawful or over-long detention on remand. “Hence the urgent need to take measures – if necessary, legislative measures – to reinforce the authority and efficiency of the national judiciary,” he added.
Tomorrow Mr Pourgourides will also participate in a separate round table on the role of Supreme Courts in human rights protection at the national level.