We are delighted to announce the participation of students from Adam Mickiewicz University in the 13th edition of the international “Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition”! This prestigious event, organized by ELSA International, brings together law students from across Europe who take on the roles of legal representatives for both parties—the applicant and the respondent state—in a simulated hearing before the European Court of Human Rights.
This year’s competition featured 65 teams from all over Europe, including representatives from Greece, Azerbaijan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany. The competition consisted of two stages: written and oral. The regional rounds were held in Porto, Prague, and Vilnius, and only the 18 best teams advanced to the final, which will take place at the headquarters of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Our university was represented by Martyna Kłujsza, Kamila Morawiec, Monika Stanisławska, and Maja Przybylak, third-year law students from the Faculty of Law and Administration at AMU and members of the International Section of the AMU Legal Clinic. Notably, Martyna Kłujsza, Kamila Morawiec, and Monika Stanisławska had already participated in last year’s edition of the prestigious Central and Eastern European Moot Court Competition (CEEMC). Their prior experience in international moot court competitions was undoubtedly a valuable asset during the regional rounds. The team’s supervisor was Dr. Władysław Jóźwicki, Assistant Professor at the Department of Constitutional Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration at AMU.
This year’s case concerned a potential violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees respect for private and family life, as well as Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention, which ensures the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions. The key issues revolved around the limits of an individual’s autonomy in choosing pain relief methods. The problem of limited access to state-guaranteed treatments and the scope of a state’s discretion in shaping healthcare policies were also examined. Another significant topic was the interpretation of the state’s positive obligations under the Convention and the existence of a European consensus on the medical use of marijuana, along with the conditions under which the forfeiture of property related to a criminal offense could be justified.
The moot court hearings took place at the Faculty of Law and Administration of Vilnius University from February 21 to 23, 2025. Our representatives competed against teams from top European universities. In the first round, while representing the applicant, they faced a team from the oldest university in Europe—the University of Bologna. The following day, they competed against the team from the University of Barcelona, which ultimately turned out to be the best team qualifying for the final.
The event was a fantastic opportunity to conclude four months of hard work, gain new experiences, establish international connections, and explore the charms of Vilnius. We sincerely thank the organizers for the opportunity to participate in this exceptional event and wish the best of luck to the teams advancing to the final in Strasbourg!
The participation of students were funded through a research grant under the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” project. The funding was provided through the “Study@Research” program for the implementation of the project titled “The Right to Health Protection as a Social Right and the Right to Privacy: Analysis of ECtHR Jurisprudence in the Context of the Use of Unconventional Therapeutic Methods in Light of Article 8 of the Convention,” coordinated by Daria Kisielewska and supervised by Dr. Władysław Jóźwicki. The conclusions and insights gained throughout the event will be utilized and summarized in a scientific publication.
