Establishing a Eurasian human rights protection system: a model for expanding the jurisdiction of the EAEU Court

in the context of a systemic deficit of effective human rights protection mechanisms across the post-Soviet space, the transformation of the Court of the Eurasian Economic Union into a supranational body with human rights jurisdiction gains particular relevance. Following the Russian Federation’s withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, the need for a regional alternative capable of safeguarding fundamental rights became especially urgent. This paper presents an institutional and comparative legal analysis of the EAEU Court’s potential in this regard and outlines theoretical foundations and practical proposals for reforming its mandate. The study proposes a step-by-step model for introducing human rights competence, including the adoption of an EAEU Convention on Human Rights, amendments to the EAEU Treaty and the Court’s Statute, and the creation of a Human Rights Commission under the Court. Particular attention is paid to the risks of jurisdictional conflicts with the ECHR, national courts, and other international bodies, as well as to institutional, staffing, and budgetary implications. Expanding the jurisdiction of the EAEU Court would strengthen citizens’ trust in supranational institutions, fill the existing human rights protection gap, and enhance the Union’s legal and political role as a regional actor. The article offers a comprehensive framework for transforming the EAEU into an integrated structure with its own human rights protection system.

human rights, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), EAEU Court, ECHR, integrational justice, Eurasian law