There are a number of human rights institutions which you can use to establish whether your human rights have been violated or not. There are both Estonian and international institutions.

Each of these institutions has very specific functions and they work on the basis of different laws or international agreements. It is important to understand that:

  • Generally you can turn to international institutions once you have exhausted all the domestic remedies available to you. In court cases this means that you have used all the possibilities to appeal in Estonia. 
  • International institutions will only assess whether there has been a potential violation of your human rights. They will not re-examine your court case or declare any decisions of the State invalid but they will assess if national institutions have failed and a possible violation of your rights has not been properly investigated and compensated.
  • In national level, there are several institutions that can determine whether the fundamental rights and freedoms of people are properly respected and protected. 

Human Rights Guide

A European platform for human rights education