Here are the most important criteria for applying to the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR):

• Complaints can only be brought against states that ratified the convention
• They can't be brought against individuals or companies or states that are not members of the Council of Europe, such as the U.S.
• The complaint must concern one or more rights that are protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, and before you turn to the ECtHR, you need to take your case as far as you can in national courts.

If you want to learn more, watch this this 15-minute explanatory video and check out the Practical Guide on Admissibility Criteria.