The aim of the Forum is to promote the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at a domestic level, to encourage regional cooperation in the continued development of the rule of law and human rights, and to assist the EU integration process in the region.

 This year’s Forum focusses on the prohibition of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment contained in Article 3 of the ECHR. The topic is of fundamental importance and relevance. There will be discussions relating to the positive obligations on the State and the applicability of Article 3 in placed of detention, ill-treatment specifically in relation to vulnerable persons including children, those experiencing mental health issues, and issues surrounding immigration and ill-treatment; as well as use of evidence obtained via torture during criminal proceedings.

Over 150 invited participants are from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. We are bringing together the judges from the region, who sit in the European Court for Human Rights, with the representatives of the supreme and constitutional courts from the region, presidents of judicial councils, directors of judicial training academies and institutions, government agents before the Strasbourg court, and the representatives of NGOs and prominent legal experts in the field.

The forum is supported by the British Government, the Government of Sweden, and Regional Cooperation Council.