Born in Athens, 9 May 1960.
I. Experience as judge and President of the European Court of Human Rights
Judge of the European Court of Human Rights (2011-2021); President of a Section of the Court (2017); Vice-President of the Court (2017-2019); President of the Court (2019-2020).
Rapporteur in approximately 450 cases, including 10 Grand Chamber cases; author of several separate opinions highlighting issues of public international law
II. Activities as an international expert or representative of Greece
1. United Nations
Member of theCommittee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) (2002-2009); Vice-Chairman of the CERD (2004-2005); Rapporteur of the CERD (2008-2009).
Member of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, elected by the United Nations Human Rights Council (2009-2011).
Member of the Greek delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (1996-2001): Third Committee (social and humanitarian affairs) and Sixth Committee (legal affairs)
Counsel for Greece before the International Court of Justice in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) (2009-2011)
Member of the Greek delegation to the 61stsession of the Commission on Human Rights (Geneva, 2005
2. UNESCO
Member of the Greek delegation to the 27th General Conference of UNESCO (Paris, 1993).
3. Council of Europe
Member (1997-2009), Vice-Chairman (2001-2002) and Chairman (2003-2004) of the Committee of Experts for the Improvement of Procedures for the Protection of Human Rights.
Member of the drafting committee for Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, reforming the functioning of the European Court of Human Rights (2003-2004).
1994-2011: invited to take part as an independent expert in Council of Europe official journeys, congresses, conferences and seminars at the Organisation’s headquarters in Strasbourg and in various member States (Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Slovenia and Ukraine).
2021: invited to chair a group of international experts on tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
4. European Union
Member of the European Union Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights (2002-2007).
Head of the Greek delegation during the negotiation and drafting of Regulation 168/2007 establishing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
Member of the inaugural Management Board of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2007-2012) and member of the Executive Board of the Agency (2009-2011).
III. Permanent Court of Arbitration
Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration since 2013.
IV. Academic and scientific activities
Professor of international law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Athens (titular since 2011). Elected as lecturer at the same faculty in 1993; assistant professor in 1999; associate professor in 2005.
Invited to teach and/or lecture at various universities, academies and other academic institutions, including the:
Member of the Institute of International Law (elected as associate member in 2011; titular member since 2019; rapporteur in 2019 and in 2021).
Member of the Curatorium of the Hague Academy of International Law since 2010.
Corresponding member of the Academy of Athens (2017).
V. Research activities
Author of seven monographs and studies and of some 120 articles in French, English and Greek, concerning general international law (sources of international law, subjects of international law, international responsibility, use of force, international sanctions, recognition of States, etc.), international organisations and international human rights protection, published in a variety of prestigious legal journals and yearbooks including: Recueil des cours of the Hague Academy of International Law, Yearbook of the Institute of International Law, European Journal of International Law, Annuaire français de droit international, Revue générale de droit international public, Hague Yearbook of International Law, Revue belge de droit international, Human Rights Law Journal, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, European Human Rights Law Review, Revue suisse de droit international et européen, International and Comparative Law Quarterly, and in collective works published by well-known international publishing houses including Pedone, Brill, Nijhoff, Bruylant, Presses universitaires de France, La documentation française, Oxford University Press, Springer, etc.
VI. Distinctions
Thesis prize, Faculty of Law, University of Strasbourg (1990); International Paul Guggenheim Prize (1992); Georges Tenekides Prize (1992); Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques de la République française (2006); Doctor honoris causa of the University of Galaţi, Romania (2019); Doctor honoris causa of the University of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas (2021).
VII. Educational qualifications
Law degree, University of Athens, distinction (1983);
Master’s degree in international law, Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg, distinction (best in year group, 1984);
Doctorate of law, Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg, special jury commendation (mention très honorable avec les félicitations du jury) (1990);
Accreditation to supervise research (habilitation), Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg (1990).