Under the guidance of the Constitutional Court judge Artūrs Kučs and his assistant Eva Vīksna, University of Latvia students win a high-profile international moot court competition
On Thursday, 4 June, the University of Latvia Faculty of Law (ULFL) team guided by the Constitutional Court judge Artūrs Kučs and his assistant Eva Vīksna won the Eighth European Human Rights Moot Court Competition organised by the European Law Students Association (ELSA). The team included Kristiāna Pētersone, who is an assistant to the Constitutional Court judge Daiga Rezevska, and three other students: Natālija Knipše, Samanta Lidere and Lelde Elīna Liepiņa.
University of Latvia Faculty of Law team with their mentors – Judge of the Constitutional Court Artūrs Kučs and his legal clerk Eva Vīksna. From the left: A. Kučs, K. Pētersone, N. Knipše, L.E. Liepiņa. S. Lidere un E. Vīksna. Photo: E. Vīksnas archive.
The competition, which had usually taken place in the building of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, was this year held in video conference mode because of Covid-19 pandemic. The case was focused on international humanitarian law. As part of the competition, the teams had to solve problems in connection with the interpretation of Articles 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 13 of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
In the competition rounds, the ULFL team competed with very strong teams from the University of Cambridge, Belarusian State University of Minsk, Paris-Sorbonne University and other prestigious institutions, and beat the last year’s winner – University of Oxford team – in the final round.
Among those actively engaged in the team preparation training were also the Constitutional Court employees – advisors to the Constitutional Court Kristaps Tamužs and Uldis Krastiņš, advisor to the President of the Court Inguss Kalniņš, judges’ assistants Lolita Buka and Madara Meļņika.
Read more about the moot court case: https://files.elsa.org/AA/EHRMCC/8th_edition/Case_of_the_8th_EHRMCC_Updated.pdf
About the European Human Rights Moot Court Competition
One of the most high-profile moot court competitions, the European Human Rights Moot Court Competition is jointly organised by ELSA and the Council of Europe. It is held in English and is concerned with the European Convention on Human Rights. The competition is open to students from the ELSA or Council of Europe member states. This year saw the eighth edition of the competition. The aim of the competition is to provide an opportunity for students to develop their skills through simulated procedures of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as to promote academic excellence.
This year, regional rounds were held in Göttingen, Nottingham, and Vilnius. 18 best teams were selected to plead in the final round, which consisted of preliminary rounds, quarter finals, semi finals, and the grand final. Each member of the winning team is awarded with a one-month traineeship at the European Court of Human Rights.
More information about the moot court competition: https://ehrmcc.elsa.org/participation/competition-materials/