The 2011 UCL European Court of Human Rights Moot was for the third consecutive year successfully organized by the UCL Students’ Human Rights Programme in collaboration with the UCL Institute for Human Rights. After two phases of elimination rounds, held at UCL and judged by such distinguished personalities as Lord Kerr, the Finals were conducted at the European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg. The finalists had the privilege to argue before their Excellencies, Judge Chr. Rozakis, Judge D. Spielmann and Judge S. E. Jebbens. A privilege they fully exploited, extracting remarkable comments from the judges.
Having to argue on the hypothetical case of Mr. Efi Altis against VZN and the Plain of Phlegra, the finalists were to prepare two grounds. The first involved Articles 7 and 14 on facts that resembled those of Scoppola (No.2) and the Damjanovic and Maktouf applications. The second involved Articles 4 and 3 of Protocol No. 1, namely forced labour and the prisoners’ right to vote. Mr. Martin Reynolds was awarded Best Oralist, Mr. Azusa Kikuma Second Best Oralist, Miss Sarah Walker Third Best Oralist and Mr. Joseph Markus received an Honorary Mention for making it to the Finals.
The ECtHR Moot which started off as a means to promote awareness of the ECHR has now turned into an established path of communication between academia and the highest level of judiciary. Not only can UCL Law students practice their advocacy skills but they are moreover provided with a chance not afforded in most moots: namely to put their arguments to the test before the actual Court. With even higher aspirations then for the years to come, congratulations to all the participants!

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