President approves ratification of two protocols to human rights convention

"The ratification of these protocols confirms Ukraine's commitment to the ideas and objectives of the Convention - respect and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe, and also confirms Ukraine's intention to actively participate in the reform of the European Court of Human Rights in order to increase its effectiveness. The adoption of the law will strengthen the role of the European Court [of Human Rights], which will facilitate the implementation of the Convention in the national legal system," the statement reads.

Article 10 of Protocol No. 16 to the Convention says that the highest court that can apply to the European Court of Human Rights is the Supreme Court of Ukraine.

Protocol No. 15 enters into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a three-month period after the date on which all high contracting parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms expressed their consent to be bound by this Protocol, except for Article 4, which enters into force six months after the date of entry into force of Protocol No. 15.

Protocol No. 16 also enters into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a three-month period from the date on which the ten high contracting parties to the Convention expressed their consent to be bound by this Protocol.

According to the information available on September 6 this year, Protocol No. 15 was signed by 45 states, and 35 of them expressed their consent to be bound by this protocol. Protocol No. 16 was signed by 18 states, and eight of them expressed their consent to be bound by the document.

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