Law news
European Court of Human Rights receives four freedoms award
The Roosevelt Stichting of Middelburg, the Netherlands, has granted the European Court of Human rights the Franklin D. Roosevelt International Four Freedoms Award for 2010.
Noting its remarkable record in establishing solid foundations for the rule of law in the field of human rights, the Roosevelt Institute has expressed its appreciation for the Court's contribution to the protection of individual human rights in post-war Europe, offering in particular an accessible tool to strengthen an effective democracy.
The President of the Court, Jean-Paul Costa, will attend the award ceremony to receive the Four Freedoms Medal on the Court's behalf in May 2010 in Middelburg, the Netherlands.
Commenting on January 18, 2010 in Strasbourg, Erik Fribergh, the Court's Registrar, said: “This recognition reaffirms at international level that the Court has a major role to play in the protection mechanism of human rights, notably as an independent body empowered to call States to account for any breach of the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols.”
The Freedom Medal was created to honour individuals and institutions whose work has given special meaning to the freedoms which President Roosevelt described in his memorable speech of 1941 in which he outlined four essential human freedoms: the freedom of speech and expression, the freedom of religion, the freedom from want and the freedom from fear. Among the recipients of the award in the past years have been Nelson Mandela, Vaclav Havel, the Dalai Lama and Kofi Annan.
Source: European Court of Human Rights Press release
