# ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper - European Human Rights Court PDF (`jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper`) Actor Scrape ECHR HUDOC judgments, decisions, and advisory opinions into paragraph-numbered text, articles invoked, per-Article violation findings, separate/dissenting opinion authors, and just-satisfaction (Article 41) awards. Built for public-law firms, human-rights NGOs, and comparative-law scholars. - **URL**: https://apify.com/jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [BowTiedRaccoon](https://apify.com/jungle_synthesizer) (community) - **Categories:** Business, Other, Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $8.00 / 1,000 record scrapeds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md. ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run. For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below. Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`). # README ## ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper - European Court of Human Rights PDF Scrape judgments, decisions, and advisory opinions from the [European Court of Human Rights' HUDOC database](https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/). Returns paragraph-numbered judgment text, Convention and Protocol articles invoked, per-Article violation findings, judge composition, separate/dissenting opinion authors, and just-satisfaction (Article 41) award amounts — pulled from the Court's own PDF judgments, not a summary. *** ### ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper Features - Returns the full paragraph-numbered text of every judgment, in original numbering, from introduction through the operative part - Tags each case with the Convention/Protocol articles invoked, and splits them into violation-found and no-violation lists straight from the Court's own conclusion - Extracts the deciding judge composition and, where one exists, the author of any separate or dissenting opinion - Picks out the just-satisfaction (Article 41) award in EUR when the judgment states one - Filters by date, by Article, by respondent State, or by a specific list of HUDOC item IDs — four query modes, same output shape - Covers the full HUDOC corpus: Grand Chamber and Chamber judgments, Committee decisions, advisory opinions, friendly-settlement resolutions, and communicated cases *** ### Who Uses ECHR Case Law? - **Human-rights NGOs** — track every judgment against a State under a specific Article, Article 3 torture and Article 8 privacy being the two most litigated - **Public-law firms** — build a citation bank of Grand Chamber reasoning by Article, instead of reading HUDOC's search results one PDF at a time - **Comparative-law scholars** — compare how the Court's reasoning on the same Article shifts across respondent States and over time - **Domestic courts and their clerks** — pull the operative text of a cited Strasbourg judgment directly, without opening the PDF - **Accountability journalists** — flag newly published judgments against a State the day they're published, with the award amount already extracted *** ### How ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper Works 1. Pick a query mode — the newest judgments since a date, every case invoking a given Article, every case against a given State, or a specific list of HUDOC item IDs. 2. Narrow further by document type and HUDOC's own importance ranking, if you want. Leave them alone and you get judgments, decisions, and advisory opinions by default. 3. The scraper fetches the Court's own PDF for each matching case and extracts the structured fields below — paragraphs, articles, violations, judges, awards. Pagination and PDF retrieval both happen automatically; you just get the dataset. *** ### Input ```json { "mode": "since_date", "sinceDate": "2024-01-01", "documentTypes": ["judgment", "decision", "advisory_opinion"], "importanceLevels": ["1", "2"], "maxItems": 100 } ``` | Field | Type | Default | Description | |--------------------|---------|----------------------------------------------|--------------| | `mode` | string | `since_date` | Primary query axis: `since_date`, `by_article`, `by_state`, or `by_itemid`. | | `sinceDate` | string | `2024-01-01` | Used when `mode` is `since_date`. Documents with a judgment date on or after this date. | | `articleFilter` | array | `[]` | Convention/Protocol articles (e.g. `3`, `8`, `P1-1`). Primary axis under `by_article`, an added filter otherwise. | | `stateFilter` | array | `[]` | Respondent States, ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 (e.g. `GBR`, `TUR`). Primary axis under `by_state`, an added filter otherwise. | | `itemIds` | array | `[]` | Specific HUDOC item IDs (e.g. `001-225454`). Used when `mode` is `by_itemid`. | | `documentTypes` | array | `["judgment","decision","advisory_opinion"]` | Which HUDOC document types to include. Clear every checkbox to include every document type that has a full-text PDF. Legal summaries are never returned, since each repeats an opinion or judgment already in the results. | | `languages` | array | `["ENG"]` | Which HUDOC language edition(s) to return. Clear every checkbox to include every language edition, including a translation whose own PDF may not be published yet. | | `importanceLevels` | array | `[]` | HUDOC's own importance ranking: `1` (key case) through `4`. Leave empty for no filter. | | `maxItems` | integer | `100` | Maximum number of judgments to return. Required — each record fetches and parses a full PDF, so bound your run. | **Filtering by Article:** ```json { "mode": "by_article", "articleFilter": ["3", "8"], "maxItems": 50 } ``` **Filtering by respondent State:** ```json { "mode": "by_state", "stateFilter": ["GBR"], "maxItems": 50 } ``` **Fetching specific cases:** ```json { "mode": "by_itemid", "itemIds": ["001-252750", "001-250157"] } ``` *** ### ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper Output Fields ```json { "itemid": "001-252749", "application_no": "50141/20", "docname": "CASE OF OSTROLUTSKYY v. UKRAINE", "doctypebranch": "COMMITTEE", "judgement_type": "judgment", "respondent_state": "UKR", "applicant_count": 1, "articles_invoked": ["8", "8-1"], "violation_found_articles": ["8"], "no_violation_articles": [], "importance_level": 4, "judgment_date": "2026-10-15T00:00:00", "chamber": "COMMITTEE", "judges": ["Gilberto Felici", "Mykola Gnatovskyy", "Vahe Grigoryan"], "separate_opinion_authors": [], "language": "ENG", "pdf_url": "https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?library=ECHR&id=001-252749&filename=001-252749.pdf", "paragraphs": ["1. The application concerns allegedly ineffective domestic proceedings...", "2. Since childhood, the applicant has been suffering from type 1 diabetes...", "..."], "operative_text": "FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY, 1. Declares the application admissible; 2. Holds that there has been a violation of Article 8 of the Convention; ...", "just_satisfaction_amount": 5000 } ``` | Field | Type | Description | |----------------------------|---------|-------------| | `itemid` | string | HUDOC item ID (e.g. `001-225454`). | | `application_no` | string | Application number(s), semicolon-separated for joined multi-applicant cases. | | `docname` | string | Case name (`CASE OF X v. Y`). | | `doctypebranch` | string | Deciding formation: `CHAMBER`, `COMMITTEE`, `ADMISSIBILITY`, etc. | | `judgement_type` | string | `judgment`, `decision`, `advisory_opinion`, `friendly_settlement`, or `communicated_case`. | | `respondent_state` | string | Respondent State, ISO 3166-1 alpha-3. | | `applicant_count` | integer | Number of applications joined in this case. | | `articles_invoked` | array | Convention/Protocol articles invoked. | | `violation_found_articles` | array | Articles where the Court found a violation. | | `no_violation_articles` | array | Articles where the Court found no violation. | | `importance_level` | integer | HUDOC's own ranking: 1 = key case, 2-4 = decreasing importance. | | `judgment_date` | string | Judgment/decision date, ISO-8601. | | `chamber` | string | Deciding formation (same as `doctypebranch`). | | `judges` | array | Judges in the deciding composition, Registrar excluded. | | `separate_opinion_authors` | array | Judges who authored a separate/dissenting/concurring opinion. Empty when the judgment carries none. | | `language` | string | `ENG`, `FRE`, or `ALB` — matches whichever edition(s) the `languages` input selected (default English only). | | `pdf_url` | string | Direct URL to the Court's own PDF. | | `paragraphs` | array | Numbered paragraphs, in order, from the introduction through the operative part. | | `operative_text` | string | The "FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT" operative section. | | `just_satisfaction_amount` | number | Best-effort just-satisfaction (Article 41) award in EUR. Null when the judgment awards no money, or when a multi-applicant judgment settles amounts in an appendix table rather than a single figure. | A record is only ever saved once its PDF has real text. A judgment whose PDF has not propagated yet (same-day publishing lag, or a translation edition you deliberately included via `languages`) is skipped rather than billed as an empty shell — the scraper keeps paging to make up the difference toward `maxItems` where more results are available. *** ### FAQ #### How do I scrape ECHR judgments? ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper needs no account and no API key. Pick a query mode — since a date, by Article, by respondent State, or a specific list of item IDs — set `maxItems`, and run it. You get back paragraph-numbered judgment text, articles invoked, violation findings, and the deciding judges. #### What data can I get from HUDOC? Judgments, decisions, advisory opinions, friendly-settlement resolutions, and communicated cases across the full Court — Grand Chamber down to Committee. Every record includes the Convention articles invoked, which ones the Court found violated, the deciding judge composition, and any just-satisfaction award. #### Can I filter by Article? Yes. Set `mode` to `by_article` and list the articles you want (`3`, `8`, `P1-1`, and so on) — the actor returns only cases invoking at least one of them. You can also layer an Article filter on top of any other mode. #### How much does ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper cost to run? Pricing follows Apify's standard pay-per-event model, shown on the actor's pricing tab before you run it. Each record fetches and parses a full judgment PDF, so cost scales with `maxItems`, not with how specific your filters are. #### Does this include dissenting opinions? Where a judgment carries one, `separate_opinion_authors` lists the judges who wrote it. Most Chamber and Committee judgments are unanimous and the field comes back empty — that's the actual rate, not a gap in extraction. *** ### Need More Features? Need custom fields, filters, or a different target site? [File an issue](https://console.apify.com/actors/issues) or get in touch. ### Why Use ECHR HUDOC Judgment Scraper? - **Zero prior Apify coverage** — HUDOC has no structured scraper on the store today; this is the first. - **Article-level, not case-level** — most case-law tools stop at the case name. This one tells you which Articles were invoked and which ones the Court actually found violated, which is the detail a filing or a literature review actually needs. - **Reads the judgment, not a summary** — paragraphs, judge composition, and the operative text all come from the Court's own PDF, the same document a law firm would cite. # Actor input Schema ## `sp_intended_usage` (type: `string`): What will this data feed? E.g. lead lists, KYB checks, price tracking. ## `sp_improvement_suggestions` (type: `string`): Provide any feedback or suggestions for improvements. ## `sp_contact` (type: `string`): We'll personally help with your use case. No spam. ## `mode` (type: `string`): Primary query axis. articleFilter / stateFilter / documentTypes / importanceLevels below layer on as additional filters regardless of mode. ## `sinceDate` (type: `string`): Only used when Mode = Documents Since Date. ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD); documents with a judgment date on or after this date are returned. ## `articleFilter` (type: `array`): ECHR Convention / Protocol articles to filter by. Applies as the primary axis when Mode = By Article Invoked, or as an additional filter under any other mode. Leave empty for no article filter. ## `stateFilter` (type: `array`): Council of Europe member States to filter by (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3). Applies as the primary axis when Mode = By Respondent State, or as an additional filter under any other mode. Leave empty for no state filter. ## `itemIds` (type: `array`): HUDOC item IDs to fetch directly (e.g. 001-225454). Only used when Mode = Specific Item IDs. ## `documentTypes` (type: `array`): Which HUDOC document types to include. Defaults to Judgment/Decision/Advisory Opinion when omitted. Explicitly clear every checkbox to include every document type instead, including legal summaries and press releases (these have no PDF and save with empty article/judge/paragraph fields). ## `languages` (type: `array`): Which HUDOC language edition(s) to return. HUDOC indexes a translated edition of a judgment before that edition's own PDF exists, so leaving this at English only avoids near-duplicate records with every PDF-derived field empty. Explicitly clear every checkbox to include every language edition instead (translation twins and all). ## `importanceLevels` (type: `array`): HUDOC's own case-importance classification. 1 = key case (leading authority), 2-4 = decreasing importance. Leave empty for no importance filter. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of judgments to scrape. Each record fetches and parses a full PDF, so keep this bounded for a quick run. ## Actor input object example ```json { "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "since_date", "sinceDate": "2024-01-01", "articleFilter": [], "stateFilter": [], "itemIds": [], "documentTypes": [ "judgment", "decision", "advisory_opinion" ], "languages": [ "ENG" ], "importanceLevels": [ "1", "2" ], "maxItems": 100 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "since_date", "sinceDate": "2024-01-01", "articleFilter": [], "stateFilter": [], "itemIds": [], "documentTypes": [ "judgment", "decision", "advisory_opinion" ], "languages": [ "ENG" ], "importanceLevels": [ "1", "2" ], "maxItems": 100 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "since_date", "sinceDate": "2024-01-01", "articleFilter": [], "stateFilter": [], "itemIds": [], "documentTypes": [ "judgment", "decision", "advisory_opinion", ], "languages": ["ENG"], "importanceLevels": [ "1", "2", ], "maxItems": 100, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "since_date", "sinceDate": "2024-01-01", "articleFilter": [], "stateFilter": [], "itemIds": [], "documentTypes": [ "judgment", "decision", "advisory_opinion" ], "languages": [ "ENG" ], "importanceLevels": [ "1", "2" ], "maxItems": 100 }' | apify call jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,jungle_synthesizer/echr-hudoc-judgments-pdf-scraper" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/SUbCdHxRZBWd2huOv/builds/qkOBSXhXu8Usb0mRd/openapi.json