The Council of Europe is today considered the general benchmark of the highest democratic standards in the field of respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy. It was founded on May 5, 1949, and a year later, the same Council of Europe, adopted the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the first international legal instrument for the protection of human rights. The Convention established the European Court of Human Rights in 1959, which, since 1998, has been operating as a new, permanent court, whose task is to ensure respect for the obligations undertaken by the states parties under the Convention and additional protocols. Both the Council of Europe and the Convention were created as a response to all the horrors and consequences of the destruction of human rights during the Second World War. Since the adoption of the Convention in 1950, it has been constantly changed. To this day, a total of 16 Protocols have been adopted. The Republic of Croatia has been a member of the Council of Europe since November 6, 1996, and today it enjoys the position of an active member. It ratified the Convention on November 5, 1997, thus recognizing the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. The paper emphasizes the rights and freedoms protected by the Convention, the significance of each of the protocols, and the manner of operation and importance of the European Court of Human Rights. The paper shows the origin and organization of the Council of Europe and shows the significance of the Convention for the Republic of Croatia.