"This comprehensive work provides more than the classic legal analysis of the substantive guarantees of the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols. It begins with a chapter on the origins, development and binding nature of the Convention. It provides an extremely useful overview of the admissibility conditions and a helpful chapter on the Court’s organisation and working methods. The reader is assisted in his or her understanding of the working of the European Court of Human Rights through insight into the proceedings before the Court and the supervision of the execution of Court judgments by the Committee of Ministers and a chapter on the principles of interpretation and application of the Convention. Each chapter ends with a thoughtful section entitled “Appreciation” where the author presents a more personal analysis of the case-law or working methods. Indeed, the final conclusions of the Handbook summarises the author’s impressions not simply of the Court’s practice and achievements so far, but also analyses potential case-law and organisational inconsistencies and offers ideas for further research as well as giving a unique “walk through European history." - H.E Judge Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights

Mark E. Villiger, Dr. iur., formerly Judge and Section President at the European Court of Human Rights. Professeur titulaire emeritus at the University of Zurich / Switzerland.