European rights court awarded freedom prize

The European Court of Human Rights on Saturday was awarded the "Four Freedoms Prize" by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Foundation for its work over the past 50 years, the foundation said. The court won for "its contribution to the protection of human rights in post-war Europe over the last half century," said a statement from the Netherlands-based foundation named after the ex-US president.

In collaboration with the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in New York, the prize has been awarded every two years since 1982 to a person or organisation who defends democracy's four essential freedoms as Roosevelt defined them. They are the freedoms of expression and religion, as well as freedom from want and fear.

The court, founded in 1959 and based in Strasbourg, has international jurisdiction over civil rights violations in the 47 states that have ratified the European Convention on Human Rights. Queen Beatrix was among those who attended the award ceremony.


(2010-05-29/Expatica Netherlands )