Geography
How International Courts Enforce Human Rights Treaties
Quick fact
The European Court of Human Rights has delivered over 50,000 judgments, but its enforcement depends on the Council of Europe's political bodies—there is no international police to back up its rulings. In some cases, states like Russia have simply refused to comply, leading to expulsion from the body.
Why this is interesting
When a government violates human rights, who can stop it? International courts often rule against states, yet their judgments are sometimes ignored. How do these courts actually enforce anything?