The European Court of Human Rights is an independent international court which examines complaints about violations of human rights. The Court sits in the French city of Strasbourg.
It works on the basis of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which is also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The Court does not belong to the European Union, but to another, separate  international organization – the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe sits in Strasbourg and its main task is to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Although the Court was established with the assistance of the Council of Europe, it is an independent court, which examines complaints about possible human rights violations in those countries, which have signed the European Convention on Human rights.