THE HAGUE--The Netherlands has called for greater attention to how judgments of the European Court of Human Rights are addressed and implemented throughout the Kingdom, including in Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands.
The commitment is outlined in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2025 Report on Human Rights, Democracy and the International Legal Order, which details the Netherlands’ work within international human rights institutions.
According to the report, the Netherlands actively monitored compliance with European Court judgments through the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe during 2025. It also devoted extensive attention to how judgments involving the Kingdom receive consideration and are implemented across its different jurisdictions.
The report is particularly relevant to the Dutch Caribbean because the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a party to the European Convention on Human Rights. Although Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten have autonomy over many domestic policy areas, actions by their authorities can result in a judgment formally issued against the Kingdom.
The Committee of Ministers supervises the implementation of final judgments, including the payment of compensation and any broader measures required to prevent similar violations from recurring.
The report does not identify the individual cases discussed within the Committee of Ministers, nor does it provide a breakdown of the measures taken by Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius or Saba in response to European Court rulings.
However, a judgment issued on April 21, 2026, involving seven Venezuelan migrants detained in Curaçao demonstrates the potential significance of the issue.
In the case ofY.F.C. and Others v. the Netherlands, the European Court of Human Rights examined the treatment of seven Venezuelan nationals who were intercepted in Curaçao’s territorial waters in 2019 and subsequently placed in immigration detention.
The Court found violations connected to the use of force against several of the migrants, the failure to conduct an effective investigation into their treatment and the lack of a practical opportunity to have their detention promptly reviewed by a court. The case was formally brought against the Netherlands because the Kingdom is the party to the European Convention, although the events occurred under the responsibility of Curaçao authorities.
The judgment means that the Kingdom must comply with the Court’s findings, including any compensation awarded, while Curaçao may also be required to address the policies, procedures or practices that contributed to the violations.
The Dutch report states that the Netherlands also contributed to the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Trust Fund, which supports member states with the implementation of European Court judgments.
Work Continues Toward Istanbul Convention
The report also confirms that the Netherlands worked with the Caribbean countries and the BES islands during 2025 toward extending the Istanbul Convention to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
The Istanbul Convention is a Council of Europe treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women and girls, protecting victims and strengthening the prosecution of offenders.
The report identifies Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten as the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom, while Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba comprise the BES islands. Together, they form the Caribbean part of the Kingdom for the purposes discussed in the report.
The Netherlands, while serving as chair of the Istanbul Convention’s Committee of the Parties, continued to highlight the treaty’s importance in combating violence against women and girls, both within and outside the Council of Europe.
However, the report does not provide a target date for extending the convention to the Dutch Caribbean. It also does not outline the legislative, institutional or policy changes that each island must complete before accession can take place.
The absence of a timetable leaves questions about how far the individual islands have progressed, what legal gaps remain and whether sufficient victim-support, reporting, investigation and prosecution systems are currently in place.
The report nevertheless places two issues affecting the Dutch Caribbean firmly within the Kingdom’s wider human rights responsibilities: ensuring that European Court judgments are implemented and advancing the extension of the Istanbul Convention to all Caribbean jurisdictions.
