Whether it considers that judgments of the European Court of Human Rights clarify how the European Convention on Human Rights should be int…

The Scottish Government defends existing human rights safeguards and is taking action to secure the progressive implementation of all human rights. We strongly support the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as a fundamental instrument to protect and promote human rights, both in Scotland and throughout the Council of Europe.
As a High Contracting Party to the Convention, the United Kingdom has undertaken to abide by the final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in any case to which it is a party. That obligation is binding in international law.
The Court fulfils an important function as part of the ECHR system. Many of today’s challenges could not have been foreseen by those who framed the Convention, and the rights it contains must be constantly applied to novel situations as society and technology develop. Citizens are able to petition the Court when they feel that their rights have been breached, and the Court provides detailed rulings on the meaning of the Convention rights.