The article addresses the issue of Ukraine’s derogation from its obligations under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in light of European human rights standards.

The aim of the study is to determine the legal grounds for the imposition of restrictions on human rights and to analyse the implementation of the right to derogate by the member states of the Council of Europe. The article outlines the grounds and conditions for derogation under Article 15 of the European Convention, with references to the relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

The article also analyses conceptual provisions formulated in the works of Academician P. Rabinovych regarding the limits of exercising human rights and their restriction by competent public authorities, as well as international, in particular European, human rights standards.Special attention is paid to Ukraine’s derogation from its obligations under the Convention in the context of the armed aggression by the Russian Federation. The experience of Council of Europe member states in applying derogation during the COVID-19 pandemic is also considered in the light of temporary restrictions on human rights and freedoms.

It is concluded that the right to derogate is an important legal instrument that allows a state to temporarily depart from its international obligations in order to impose restrictions on human rights and freedoms in exceptional circumstances that “threaten the life of the nation”. It is noted that not all rights and freedoms may be restricted, and any narrowing of the content and scope of human rights must be justified and legally substantiated. The author argues that some instances of Ukraine’s derogation from its obligations under the Convention are not always proportionate to the legal provisions of national legislation that establish restrictions on rights and freedoms during martial law and states of emergency.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Rabinovych P, Prava liudyny i hromadianyna u Konstytutsii Ukrainy (do interpretatsii vykhidnykh konstytutsiinykh polozhen) (Pravo 1997) (in Ukrainian).

2. Rabinovych P, Pankevych I, Zdiisnennia prav liudyny: problemy obmezhuvannia (zahalnoteoretychni aspekty) (Astron 2001) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

3. Ćorić V, Knežević Bojović A and Višekruna A, ‘Notifications of Derogations from the European Convention on Human Rights in Covid-19 Context’ [2021] 3–4 Arhiv za pravne i društvene nauke 119–143 https://doi.org/10.22182/apdn.342021.5.

4. Chevychalova Zh, ‘Pravovi pidstavy vidstupu Ukrainy vid okremykh zobov’iazann, vyznachenykh Mizhnarodnym paktom pro hromadianski i politychni prava ta Konventsiieiu pro zakhyst prav liudyny i osnovopolozhnykh svobod’ [2017] 2 Teoriia i praktyka pravoznavstva (in Ukrainian).

5. Khrystova G, ‘Pro pozytyvni zoboviazhennia derzhavy v umovakh zbroinoho konfliktu ta tymchasovoi vtraty kontroliu nad chastynoiu svoiei terytorii’ [2017] 2(89) Visnyk Natsionalnoi akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy 54 (in Ukrainian).

6. Rabinovych P, ‘Mezhi zdiisnennia prav liudyny (zahalnoteoretychnyi aspekt)’ [1996] 6 Visnyk Akademii Pravovykh Nauk Ukrainy 5 (in Ukrainian).

7. Rabinovych P, Honcharov V, ‘Mezhi prava: osnovni aspekty problemy’ [2021] 2 Filosofiia prava i zahalna teoriia prava 13 https://doi.org/10.21564/2707-7039.2.269135 (in Ukrainian).

8. Rabinovych P, ‘Mizhnarodni pravoliudynni standarty: poniattia, klasyfikatsii’ [2020] 1(37) Publichne Pravo 144 DOI: 10.37374/2020-37-13 (in Ukrainian).

9. Rabinovych P, ‘Mizhnarodni standarty prav liudyny: vlastyvosti, zahalne poniattia, klasyfikatsiia’ [2016] 1 (84) Visnyk Natsionalnoi akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy 19 (in Ukrainian). Websites

10. Istrefi K, Humburg I, ‘To Notify or Not to Notify: Derogations from Human Rights Treaties (Opinio Juris’ 18 April 2020) (accessed 25.05.2025). Dictionaries

11. Derogation (Cambridge Dictionary) (accessed 18.05.2025).

12. Derohatsiia, Velykyi tlumachnyi slovnyk suchasnoi ukrainskoi movy: 250000 (V Busel uklad. ta holov. red., Perun 2005) 287 (in Ukrainian).