The ELSA European Human Rights Moot Court Competition (ELSA EHRMCC) takes place annually. The EHRMCC is organized by the student organization European Law Students Association (ELSA) in cooperation with the Council of Europe and takes place at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg, France. The competition simulates the complaint procedure before the ECtHR and aims at familiarizing law students with the protection of human rights. The competition focuses on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the relevant extensive jurisprudence of the ECtHR. Students from all High Contracting Parties that have acceded to the ECHR compete on the basis of a fictitious case closely connected to current human rights’ issues.
The competition is divided in two stages, the written submissions and the oral rounds. The former entails written submissions on behalf of the applicants and the Respondent State. Each submission must be limited to 20 pages including a complete bibliography. The 20 teams with the highest scores selected based on their written submissions, travel to Strasbourg to plead before lawyers and judges of the ECtHR. Both stages of the competition are held in English. Students deepen their legal thought and practice their pleading skills on cases relevant to major human rights’ issues.
In 2014, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens won the 14 best teams of the oral round and qualified to the final. It won the 2nd place (runner up) of the competition and a symbolic monetary prize while two of its pleaders won the 1st and 3rd place. The first pleader won the Best Orator prize and a traineeship at the Council of Europe Liaison Office with the European Union in Brussels.
In 2015, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens won the competition, the best applicant written submissions and a symbolic monetary prize while its pleaders won the 1st and 2nd place. The best pleader won a traineeship at the Council of Europe Liaison Office with the European Union in Brussels. All three members of the team won a traineeship at the European Court of Human Rights.
Competition Awards (1stplace)
Year | University |
5th HRMCC (2017) | National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Ukraine |
4th HRMCC (2016) | Sofia University St. Kliment, Ohridski, Bulgaria |
3rd HRMCC (2015) | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece |
2ndο HRMCC (2014) | City University, UK |
1stο HRMCC (2013) | Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland |
Awarded Distinctions (Overall) – National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Law
Year | Award | Team |
5th HRMCC (2017) | 12th place from a total of 91 participations | Zapandioti Athanasia, Samartzis Andreas, Koletti Stefania, Kyriakopoulos Konstantinos |
4th HRMCC(2016) | 28th place from a total of 70 participations | Dritsa Vasiliki, Katsoni Spyridoula, Markou Maria, Plakogianni Marilena |
3rd HRMCC (2015) | 1st place | Stavridi Myrto, Mavrommati Stylliani, Serafimidi Dimitra |
1st place for best written submissions for the applicants | ||
2nd HRMCC (2014) | 2nd place | Giakoumakis Emmanuel, Loxa Alezini – Irini, Andrikaki Irini, Koulierakis Efstratios |
1st HRMCC (2013) | 4th place | Theodoropoulou Eleni, Ziaka Alexandra, Thoua Chrisanthi, Gospontiva Elli, Vasiliki Vlontzou |
Best Orator Awards - National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Law
Year | Award | Student Name |
3ο HRMCC (2015) | 1st place | Stavridi Myrto |
2nd place | Serafimidi Dimitra | |
2ο HRMCC (2014) | 1st place | Giakoumakis Emmanuel |
3rd place | Loxa Alezini - Irini | |
1ο HRMCC (2013) | 2nd place | Ziaka Alxandra |
The preparation of the team representing the University of Athens takes place between October and February of each academic year. The team is supervised by Associate Professor Mrs. Gavouneli Maria (Department of International Law), assisted by PhD candidates and other former contestants as coaches. The University’s participation in the competition has had the generous support of Greek Law Firms.
The Human Rights Moot Court constitutes an educational tool that sharpens legal reasoning regarding the protection of human rights. Participating students develop oral pleading skills and respect towards the Court and the opposing party, learn time management and delve into current and complex matters of human rights’ law.
Indicatively, students have been called to resolve based on the ECHR many issues including, freedom of speech in the internet, the right of homosexual couples to marry and adopt and the right of terrorist suspects not to be tortured.
The participation of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and its distinctions among more than 100 universities every year cultivates a dialog between young students of law from various legal backgrounds and provides a forum for Greek students to highlight their broad legal culture.
