The ECHR Obligation to Avert Risks of Violence

This book argues that the European Convention of Human Rights enshrines a right to freedom from violence, obliging states to anticipate and address risks of serious violence in all forms.

It shows how that obligation has two elements. Firstly, states must respond to specific threats. Secondly, they must implement systemic measures to address more general risks of violence. It goes on to show how jurisprudence in the field has developed this flexible and comprehensive model, addressing the particular challenges violence presents. This new understanding, expertly set out in this study, provides a coherent framework for considering both existing controversies and future developments.