23 governments and one non-governmental organization, the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, have applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to join as a third party to the proceedings in Ukraine v. Russia (application no. 11055/22).

 This was reported by the press service of the ECHR on Friday, September 23.

 The appeal was sent by the governments of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

 In addition, Iceland and the United Kingdom requested and received a short extension of time to request leave to join the case as a third party.

 A person or state participating in the case as a third party has the right to submit written submissions and, in exceptional cases, participate in hearings.

 The interstate case of Ukraine against Russia, according to the statement submitted by Kyiv on June 28, concerns the Ukrainian government's accusations against the Russian Federation of massive and gross violations of human rights committed during Russian military operations on the territory of Ukraine since February 24, 2022.

 Including this case, the ECtHR is currently considering five interstate applications that Ukraine submitted against Russia.

 Although the Russian Federation withdrew from the European Convention on Human Rights on September 16, 2022, the ECtHR is competent to consider complaints directed against the Russian Federation in connection with its actions or omissions, provided that the disputed events took place before September 16.