The Contribution of the European Court of Human Rights to the Construction of a Corruption-Free Society

Abstract Corruption is a serious threat to the stability and security of societies, undermining institutions and democratic values, ethical principles, and justice, as well as sustainable development and the rule of law. It manifests itself in many ways and in a multitude of contexts, affecting almost all human rights, including economic and social rights (i.e., the right to work, the right to food, the right to housing, the right to health, the right to education, the right to public services, the right to development), as well as civil and political rights (i.e., the right to equality and non-discrimination, the right to political participation, the right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial). In this perspective, starting from an examination of the direct and negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights (Section 1), the analysis that follows focuses on the obligations of States to respect, promote, and above all, protect human rights (i.e., take all necessary measures to ensure their full enjoyment) (Section 2), traces the ECtHR’s most incisive pronouncements on violations of individual guarantees in the context of corruption (Section 3), and highlights the crucial role of the Court’s case law in defining more effective, preventive, and punitive measures against corruption (Section 4).