Prohibition of Abuse of Rights (Article 17 of the ECHR)

Nothing in this Convention may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein or at their limitation to a greater extent than is provided for in the Convention.

Article 17 of the ECHR does not guarantee a separate individual right or freedom. It relates more to the rule of interpretation of the ECHR, which is aimed at safeguarding the ideas and objectives of the ECHR.¹⁷⁴⁰ Therefore, Article 17 of the ECHR is applicable only in conjunction with one of the other rights or freedoms protected under the ECHR. A complainant needs to show an act of the State aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms protected by the ECHR, or aimed at its limitation to a greater extent than is provided in the ECHR.¹⁷⁴¹