Human Rights in the Council of Europe One of the main objectives
of the Council of Europe is the protection of human rights. The
greatest achievement in this regard is the Convention for the
Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), an
international treaty which was adopted in 1950 and entered into
force in 1953. Up to now 47 European States have ratified the
Convention, Austria did so in 1958. The Convention has the rank
of constitutional law in Austria. It protects important rights
and freedoms, e.g. the right to life, the right to liberty and
security, the right to a fair trial, the right to respect for
private and family life, the right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion, the right to freedom of assembly and
the prohibition of torture. Further rights have been added in
separate Protocols and the death penalty has also been
abolished. Contracting Parties undertake to secure these rights
and freedoms to everyone within their jurisdiction. The European
Court of Human Rights moni