Philip Leach (the famous ECHR practioner), Costas Paraskeva, and Gordana Uzelac have undertaken extensive research on ‘International Human Rights and Fact-finding. An analysis of the fact-finding missions conducted by the European Commission and Court of Human Rights’, published online by London Metropolitan University. The very elaborate and detailed report deals with yardsticks for assessing the necessity of fact-finding, the practicalities, and the use of evidence thus obtained in proceedings before the Court. Although they are currently relatively rare (the new full-time Court has only undertaken 18 of them in ten years), the authors argue that on some instances this mechanism remains essential. A thorough and highly recommended piece of research.
Report on ECHR Fact-Finding Missions
