European Court of Human Rights

North Macedonia's Constitutional Court President, Dobrila Katsarska, affirmed in an interview with Sofia's Nova TV that there's no legal obstacle to including the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia's Constitution. Katsarska emphasized the nation's multi-ethnic fabric, highlighting equal rights for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity.

The European Court of Human Rights, ECHR ruled on Tuesday that Stjepan Mesic's right to respect for his private life was not violated by the Croatian courts, which the former president argued had failed to protect his reputation.

A view of the court room at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, 26 January 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK

"Nonetheless, there has been an increase in the total number of judgments currently pending full execution (6,081 compared to 5,533 in December 2021)," the report wrote.

Bulgaria is at the top of the ranking of EU member states in terms of the number of cases in the so-called "enhanced procedure" (clusters of cases posing structural and systemic problems) at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The country is in sixth place after Russia (16%), Ukraine (15%), Turkey (11%), Romania (10%) and Italy (7%).

Ahmet Muhsin Tüzer, who once made headlines in local media as "rock singer" imam, has applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to get his job back.

While serving as an imam in the Mediterranean province of Antalya's Kaş district, Tüzer formed a band named "FiRock" with famous rock guitarist Doğan Sakin and released a single in 2013.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin (not pictured) at a meeting in Sochi, Russia, 28 September 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/ SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL MANDATORY CREDIT

Ankara has accused the Council of Europe of interfering in an ongoing judicial process on businessman Osman Kavala after the body's political organ voted in favor of moving the infringement procedure against Turkey forward.

Turkey has notified the political body of the Council of Europe (CoE) that a case against Turkish businessman Osman Kavala is continuing in due process of law and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the case have been implemented.

Turkey on Dec. 2 called on the Council of Europe to avoid punishing Turkey ahead of a decision this week on whether Ankara could face rare disciplinary proceedings over the case of a jailed businessman Osman Kavala.

The courtroom at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. Photo: EPA-EFE/PATRICK SEEGER