The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) of the Council of Europe constitutes the central judicial authority with the power to assess human rights violations in Council of Europe member states. The court’s legal basis is the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to life, the freedom from torture and forced labour, the right to marriage and family life and the freedom of assembly, amongst other protections. In accordance with article 14, all of these rights must be applied in a non-discriminatory manner. The following ECHR verdicts illustrate the duty of the police and the judiciary to investigate offences, paying special attention to any possible motivation by hatred.